A Common Spy Problem
by Kate McK
Summary: Chuck and Sarah slipped in the shower. Now they have to deal with exes, family, James Bond, a rock star, General Beckman and Casey, on top of the major shift in their relationship.
1. Chapter 1

**A Common Spy Problem**

A/N: It's 3:20 a.m. The only thing that still registers is that I don't own Chuck.

Chapter 1

Okay, so maybe it was a little mean on her part, but in all fairness, the mission called for her to dress like an escort. The fact that it coincided with the exact time she was supposed to formally meet Jill was pure coincidence. Mostly. Her only regret was the color. Chuck didn't like red. Or her in red. His comment from a few weeks ago was so unexpected, she still had trouble wrapping her mind around that one. It wasn't Chuck's color preferences that worried her though. There was another woman. Again. But it was different this time. It was Jill, the girl he yearned over for, what Sarah thought, five years. Now here they were, eighteen months later, and Chuck had jumped at the chance when Jill gave him the slightest opening. He didn't even bother to fake breakup with her, he simply told Jill the truth about their cover relationship. Maybe Chuck had learned something from the whole Lou-debacle.

Sarah wanted Chuck to be happy, but she couldn't shake the feeling that Jill might break his heart again. That was not going to happen. Not on her watch. It was her job to protect him. She wanted to protect him. From everything. Of course the irony wasn't lost on her that any heartache he'd experienced in the past year and a half was her doing. It would have laid more heavily on her conscience had it not been for the fact that their hearts were in sync. They broke in unison every time. Up to now, at least. Chuck had the love of his life back and a shot at having a normal relationship. That was all he ever wanted and it was the one thing she couldn't give him. He made that point very clear.

Sarah pushed her thoughts aside as she changed into her black mission gear. They didn't have much time and had all gotten dressed in the same room with their backs to each other. Chuck turned around just as she was pulling down her shirt and she didn't miss his eyes darting down to her bare midriff for half a second before he looked away guiltily.

Ten minutes later they were back in their rented hotel room trying to figure out how to open the box containing the list of Fulcrum agents. Sarah felt a surge of pride as she watched Chuck using his nerd skills to solve the complicated puzzle protecting Gee's secret. He was so much more than just the Intersect host and she hoped he realized that too. Chuck explained what he was doing, but she wasn't really paying attention. Neither did she when he opened the lid and they stared at the contents. She recognized the device too late. The gas escaped before she had time to get Chuck to safety. Thankfully Casey was standing close to the door and managed to get out to call a containment unit, but Sarah knew it would take them at least twenty minutes to show up.

Jumping into action, she ordered Chuck to get to the shower, urgently pulling his shirt over his head as they stumbled towards the bathroom. He was too panicked to do it himself. When she was out of her own, her hands went for his pants, which apparently jolted him out of freak-out-mode. He took over the task from her giving her time to shrug out of her own slacks. Sarah reached for the closest tap and shoved Chuck into the stall. She ignored his complaint that the water was cold, grabbed the soap and started to scrub him down. Some of the water ended up in her mouth, mixing with the powder they were exposed to. She was about to spit it out when she recognized the taste. Fruit punch.

Sarah opened her mouth to tell Chuck they were going to be okay, but somehow his face ended up very close to her chest. The words never made it past her lips when she felt his breath against her skin. The temperature seemed to have increased several degrees despite the cold water pouring down on them. It was only when Chuck took the soap out of her hand that she came out of her stupor. Instinctively she turned around, gathering her hair to allow him access to soap her back. Chuck still thought they were trying to rid themselves of a possible poison and she needed a little time to find her equilibrium. But then she felt his fingers trace a path along her bra strap and her last shred of self-control dissolved. His touch was incredibly light, causing her knees to grow weak. With a hand against the wall, Sarah tried to steady herself. In the process she pushed herself upright and her back collided with Chuck's chest.

That was all it took.

Chuck wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her flush against him. Sarah inhaled sharply when she realized he was as affected by her proximity as she was by his. She tilted her head slightly and he didn't miss his cue. Marveling at what his lips were doing to her neck, she tangled her fingers in his wet curls. When he gave her a small reprieve, she turned her head and caught his gaze. After a beat his eyes dropped to her lips before meeting hers again. They reflected the same hunger she felt. She pulled his head down and closed her mouth over his. Chuck responded eagerly, his tongue meeting hers halfway. He managed to turn her around without breaking the kiss. They pulled apart reluctantly for some much needed air.

Sarah was the first to break the silence. "Casey's going to be back in fifteen minutes."

"Do you really think we're gonna make it past ten?" Chuck asked, still out of breath.

She shook her head. "Probably not." Sarah knew there were a hundred reasons why they shouldn't be doing this, but when his lips found hers again, she couldn't come up with any.

Chuck reached blindly behind her and found the tap, shutting the water off. He half-led, half-dragged her out of the bathroom, pulling her down on top of him when they finally reached the bed. Sarah pushed herself up on her arms before bringing her knees up on either side of Chuck's thighs. Straddling him she answered the unspoken question in his eyes by reaching back and unclasping her bra. She let it slide down her arms and discarded it somewhere behind her. Chuck's hands on her ribcage steadied her. His thumbs stroked the skin just below her breasts and he swallowed.

"I always knew you'd be perfect." It was the last coherent words spoken.

* * *

Chuck lay sideways across the bed, his head on Sarah's stomach. Her fingers were stroking through his hair, his brushing the back of her hand on his chest. They'd put on robes to ensure Casey didn't find them in a compromising position. Not any more compromised than they were at the moment anyway.

"A penny for your thoughts," Chuck spoke first. Sarah regarded him with a small smile, but didn't respond. He propped himself up on one elbow, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Hey, I know when something's bothering you. Tell me, Sarah."

Sarah sighed. She didn't want to voice her concern, but given their history, she could only imagine the conclusions Chuck would jump to. And he'd be dead wrong. So she took a deep breath. "You cheated on Jill."

She expected a flash of guilt to cross his face but it never came. Instead he just shook his head. "Jill and I…things haven't progressed that far. And if you want to get technical about it, I'm fake cheating on you with Jill and it's…"

"Complicated," she finished his sentence.

"It's easy to uncomplicate."

She wished it was that simple.

"So you didn't…" Sarah really didn't want to ask that question.

"Didn't what?" Chuck prompted when she didn't continue.

"This wasn't to get back at her for sleeping with Bryce, was it? Or to even the score with him in some way?" It wasn't that she didn't trust Chuck, as much as she was capable, but she overheard him in the courtyard trying to convince Jill that this relationship was just a cover. That was mere hours ago.

Chuck straightened, resting his elbows on his knees. He didn't look at her when he spoke. "I can see how you'd think that and the truth is there was a time I considered it. But that was a long time ago, Sarah." He turned to face her, his heart in his eyes. "The fact that you have ties to Bryce has nothing to do with why I fell…I care about you and I'll never use you. And if anything, trying to rekindle things with Jill has a lot more to do with me not being able to be with you than what happened at Stanford."

Sarah sat up and crossed her legs. "What are you saying, Chuck?"

"I don't want what just happened to be a one-time thing, Sarah."

"Me neither, but you said…"

"…that we don't have a future. I can explain that, but we don't have the time right now. Just know I didn't mean it. Look, if we have to wait a little while longer, then that's okay."

"What about Jill?"

"I'm not going to tell her what happened, that's between us. But I will make it clear to her that it would be a mistake to try again. Are you okay with that?"

"Yeah." Chuck smiled when Sarah leaned closer to give him a peck on the lips. When she pulled back, she rested her forehead against his. "I promise I won't keep you waiting too long."


	2. Chapter 2

**A Common Spy Problem**

A/N: Okay guys, here's the deal: Seeing as 21 is my lucky number, and this is the 21st story I've posted, and you were kind enough to leave me more than 21 amazing reviews on chapter 1 (thanks for that), I've decided to expand it into a longer fic. This story will however replace the sequel I was considering for Covers, as it would have been along the same vein. Speaking of Covers, for those of you who don't follow Frea O'Scanlin on Twitter or the blog Castle Inanity (you totally should), she was kind enough to convert some of my fic's to EBooks (Covers, Ugly Truth, The Fight and The Fight NYE) and she made some pretty awesome covers for those. Thanks again, Frea.

I also want to say a big thank you to Nervert for the beta. There were some rewrites based on his suggestions that he haven't seen, so if you do pick up an error or two, that's all mine. Lastly, I don't own Chuck, but then, you already knew that.

Chapter 2

Sarah sent two quick left jabs straight into Emmett Milbarge's face, followed by a right hook to the jaw. Then she spun around, her left heel connecting with his temple. That would have rendered him unconscious, had she been fighting the man and not the punch dummy, renamed for the week. She couldn't believe anyone could be that anal. Of course not all her fury was channeled at the BuyMore's latest ass man. Chuck had not broken up with Jill yet. The fact that it had been an order made it a little easier. And a lot harder.

_Earlier:_

Once Casey had confirmed that the powder was harmless, and she and Chuck acted as surprised as was expected, they realized they hit a dead end. Jill had worked closely with Gee for several years and they had to enlist her help, which meant keeping on her good side. The plan almost went off without a hitch. Jill put the clues together and led them straight to the flash drive containing the identities of the Fulcrum agents Le Fleur was in contact with. Sarah's heart stopped when they opened the box and saw the clock counting down. Casey cleared out the opera house, but Chuck stubbornly refused to leave. Jill was convinced it was not a bomb; Sarah vehemently disagreed. Then Chuck sided with Jill, working on the puzzle when all Sarah could do was watch helplessly as the time ran out. The relief that washed over her when the timer stopped, seven seconds short of what she was still convinced would have been a disaster, was quickly replaced by a wave of jealousy when Jill threw her arms around Chuck's neck and kissed him. She turned her back on the scene, but not before Casey got his stab in.

Once outside, they got out of the way of the bomb squad that was called in to examine the box they'd found. Casey relieved Chuck of the flash drive; apparently the lesson that grabbing something from another person was rude was not something choir boys were taught, or it hadn't sink in.

"A thank you would be nice!" Chuck called after Casey who was heading to his Crown Vic.

"Chuck, why don't you take Jill home? Casey and I will brief Beckman." Chuck looked undecided for a moment, his eyes darting between her and Jill. Sarah knew he wanted to discuss what had just happened, but she needed time to sort through her feelings. "I'll see you tomorrow." She gave Jill her most sincere fake smile before taking off for her car.

Sarah had almost reached her destination when she heard Chuck behind her and sighed. She should've known better than to hope that he would just let it go.

"Sarah, wait." She spun around, crossing her arms and cursing silently at the fact that he always managed to see through her mask. He stopped a few feet from her and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Sarah, I'm really sorry you had to see that. If I was expecting it, I would have…"

"It's okay, Chuck," she cut him off. He didn't get it. Yes, she was upset about the kiss, but it didn't hurt as much as the fact that Chuck trusted Jill over her. It turned out to be the right choice, but it still stung.

"No, no, it's not. Look, I'll tell her tonight that it's over. We've got the list, so there's no need for me to pretend…I just want her gone. For both our sakes."

Sarah let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. Then her conscience won out. "Not tonight, Chuck. She's a little shaken up, so…it'll keep until tomorrow."

Chuck shot her a questioning look. "Are you having second thoughts about us?"

"What?" His question caught her by surprise. "No. I just don't want you…don't be cruel to her, she doesn't deserve that." Chuck rewarded her with his trademark Bartowski grin.

"You're amazing, you know that?" He did a quick perimeter check before taking a step forward to give her a soft kiss. "I'm your guy, Sarah Walker, and I'll wait for you. No matter how long it takes," he whispered before pulling back. Sarah felt the corners of her lips tucking upwards. He always knew the right thing to say.

"Thanks, Chuck."

* * *

It was a long night down in Castle. Sarah and Casey were filing their reports while waiting for the CIA encryption software to decipher the information on the thumb drive.

"So, you two gonna break up again?" Casey asked as he closed his folder and pushed it aside.

Sarah choked on her coffee. "Excuse me?"

"The moron is gonna blow your cover if he keeps this up. Grimes already saw him and Jill together at the BuyMore."

"Chuck's not getting back together with Jill." She focused on the papers in front her, ignoring Casey's amused grunt.

"What did you promise him? A little undercover chocolate dipping?"

Sarah felt her calm center slipping, but she managed not to throw her pen down on the table. Or stab Casey through the eye with the blunt end. Before she could respond, the picture of the first identified Fulcrum agent appeared on screen.

Much to Sarah's relief, they worked for the next couple of hours in silence. Sarah was disturbed that quite a few of the names jotted down were agents she had worked with in the past. It only reaffirmed her belief that very few people were to be trusted. She stole a glance in Casey's direction, wondering if the day would come that he would turn on her and, heaven forbid, Chuck. She sighed inwardly. She was still working on a way for them to be together for real, but if she couldn't count on her partner, that would make the situation incredibly difficult, if not totally impossible.

"Shit." Casey's profanity shook her out of her thoughts and she turned to the screen. For a second her brain stopped functioning. Then she jumped up and grabbed her car keys. "Walker, where are you going? We need to contact Beckman."

"I'm going to secure Chuck." She was already halfway up the stairs. "His safety is top priority, in case you've forgotten." She didn't wait for his predictable grunt.

Sarah made it to Echo Park in record time, grateful that the freeway was quieter at three a.m. Forgoing having to knock and explain to Ellie or Devon why she had come over at this time of the morning, she made her way to the Morgan door. She quietly opened it and snuck over to the bed. Chuck was lying on his back, the covers tucked tightly under his chin. She clamped a hand over his mouth to prevent a girlish scream from waking up the complex before giving him a light shake. Chuck's eyes shot open in alarm, but he relaxed when he recognized her. She felt a smile form under her palm, sending a slight shiver up her arm. Mindful that Casey was probably watching the live surveillance feed, she pulled herself together and removed her hand.

"Chuck," she spoke quietly, "I need to get you to Castle right now."

"Why? What happened?" he asked as he sat up.

"I'll explain on the way." Sarah grabbed the jeans, discarded over the recliner in the corner, and a t-shirt from his drawer. "Don't forget your shoes."

"I can't go out in my PJ's. Are you crazy?"

"No one's gonna see you, come on," she urged and practically pushed him out the window.

"I hope you don't expect me to get changed in the car," Chuck deadpanned when he closed the door. "My limbs simply can't twist like that."

Sarah suppressed a smile, but retorted anyway. "You better not try. Unless you want me to cause an accident."

From the corner of her eye she could see him gaping like a fish out of water. Then a silly grin broke over his face. Sarah decided to use the lightened atmosphere to break the news. "We've got the list of Fulcrum agents."

"That's great. So you need me to flash on them? Try and identify their locations?"

"Not exactly." Sarah hesitated for a moment. "Chuck, Jill's a spy. She's Fulcrum." She took her eyes of the road to gauge his reaction. His smile dropped and he shook his head.

"No, no, that can't be right. She's Jill. I know her. I thought I knew her."

"I'm sorry, Chuck." Sarah didn't really know what she was apologizing for.

Chuck ran a hand over his face. "Is everyone in my life a spy? Should I start questioning everyone now?"

"No, we've vetted everyone you're in daily contact with. They're clean." Sarah didn't have much experience consoling someone, but with Chuck it seemed to come naturally.

"Even Jeff?" Chuck asked with no humor in his voice.

"Even Jeff."

"Then you should really start questioning your methods, because…"

"Chuck," Sarah interrupted before he went totally off track, "I need to know exactly what you told her."

"Nothing that's not on tape, I promise. She doesn't know I'm the Intersect."

"Okay, good. But I'm not letting you out of my sight until we bring her in. Just to be safe."

"Are you sure? About Jill I mean?"

"Yeah, we've got her file. Her code name is Sand Storm." Chuck went quiet again and Sarah caught his eyelids fluttering. "Chuck, did you just flash?"

He simply sighed and nodded. Sarah gave his hand a quick squeeze and parked in front of the Orange Orange.

The night went from bad to worse when General Beckman came online. She shot down Sarah's suggestion to bring Jill in for interrogation. Instead she ordered Chuck to use his relationship with Jill to see if she would make contact with the leader of Fulcrum. Sarah protested. Casey grunted. Chuck freaked out. But it was all for naught.

* * *

Sarah hadn't slept at all. She was still not convinced sending Chuck straight into the hands of Fulcrum was a good idea. She absentmindedly served a customer, keeping the BuyMore in her sights. She and Chuck had spent what was left of the night in Castle, in separate beds, and she handed him over to Casey in the morning for their shift. Once the yogurt shop was empty, she fixed the 'back in five minutes' sign to the door and headed over to the electronics store.

She spotted Chuck behind the Nerd Herd desk. His face lit up when he saw her, causing her heart to miss a beat. She leaned over the counter to give him the customary cover kiss. With great difficulty she pulled away seconds later. She didn't miss the look of disappointment that crossed Chuck's face and remembered why she was there in the first place. Telling Chuck that she wasn't going to make him wait too long didn't exactly mean 'catch you in the BuyMore broom closet tomorrow', but she hadn't counted on Beckman ordering him to seduce Jill. Sarah knew she had no reason to be jealous. Chuck made it clear who he had chosen, not just with his words, but with the way all their pent-up emotions exploded the afternoon before. She'd never known such passion existed. Yet she couldn't help the constant nagging at the back of her mind that he had sided with Jill last night. Nothing in their world was as simple as black and white.

"Let's get away from prying eyes, shall we?" She motioned in the direction of a drooling Jeff who didn't quite hide the fact that he was ogling her. Grabbing Chuck's hand, she led him to the back of the store. As they rounded the corner past the cafeteria, they almost bumped into Emmett, who stood there waiting for them. His feet were planted firmly, his arms folded across his chest.

"I'm sorry," he started, not sounding the least bit apologetic, "but this area is restricted to BuyMoria citizens only."

Sarah raised a questioning eyebrow, but it quickly morphed into a sweet smile. "I understand, but surely you don't object to people visiting this lovely country of yours?" She winked at him and immediately felt Chuck tense next to her. She couldn't tell if he was getting upset with his supervisor for interrupting or at her for trying to flirt her way pass him. Either way, she'd kiss it right out of him the minute they reach their destination, if Emmett would just move. But he didn't.

"I bet…" he paused for dramatic effect, pulling an imaginary piece of lint of his vest, "…you're used to your baby blues and blonde locks getting you just any little thing your heart desires." He leaned closer, his eyes boring into hers, their noses almost touching. He was really starting to get under her skin, but before Sarah could react, Chuck stepped in between them.

"Boundaries, Emmett. Get out of my girlfriend's face." Emmett straightened and snorted.

"You're on thin ice, Mr. Bartowski. If you want to keep your humble position at this fine establishment, I suggest you start towing the line. And you can do that by seeing your girlfriend out the door and returning to your post."

"I'm on my break."

"Not according to the schedule." Emmett placed a hand on each of their shoulders in an attempt to turn them around. Sarah was about to withdraw her hand from Chuck's to inflict some serious harm, but once again, Chuck beat her to the punch. His fingers curled around the other man's wrist, pulling his hand off her.

"Touch her again and I'll break your face," Chuck warned in a low voice and Emmitt took a small step back. Sarah was rooted to the spot, stunned. She'd never seen this side of Chuck before. It was probably a good thing, given that she suddenly felt a little hot, despite the tank top she was wearing. Just as quickly though, Chuck returned to his old self and tugged on her hand. "Let's get out of here."

Once they reached the relative safety of the home theatre room, Chuck started to apologize. "Sorry about that, I know you're better equipped to kick his…to deal with guys like that, but I had to protect the cover and…that's a lie, it's a guy's job to protect his girl's honor and I just thought…"

Sarah did a quick scan of the store while Chuck was babbling, spotting Casey demonstrating the features of the latest Beast Master to a potential customer. She used the opportunity to shut Chuck up with a brief kiss. That was a mistake. They were supposed to be in a cramped space where she could remind him what he'd be missing if he fell for Jill during the mission, but there wasn't much she could do about that at the moment. Deciding to deal with her anger later, she smiled up at Chuck.

"You can defend my honor any time, but please, no breaking of people parts. That's my job."

"Agreed. What did you want to talk to me about?"

Sarah sent another glance Casey's way, but his customer had left, so she snapped back into agent mode. "Tonight's mission, but we can discuss it later. Come by Castle later so I can prepare you, okay?"

After getting an agreement from Chuck, Sarah slipped out of the home theatre room, careful to avoid Casey. She wasn't in the mood for explanations. Back at the Orange Orange, she didn't bother to remove the sign on the door. Instead she headed down to Castle in search of her boxing gloves.

* * *

A/N: Last week's episode did nothing to inspire a new chapter of The Wedding Gift. It tomorrow's follow suit I will go AU and post the new chapter after the weekend. In the meantime keep an eye out for chapter 3, should be up around Thursday/Friday. Happy Chuckday everyone!


	3. Chapter 3

**A Common Spy Problem**

A/N: Please note that though this takes place in season 2, I've messed with timelines (again) to make the story work – no disrespect to Thanksgiving intended, but I dropped that detail. I owe a big thank you to Nervert for the beta, he worked hard on this one.

I don't own Chuck, but I do believe they're gonna get a season 5, even if my power of positive thinking is defective today. Australia lost.

Chapter 3

After a quick shower, Sarah headed upstairs to close the yogurt shop. She locked the door and checked the clock against the wall. Chuck would be going on his date with Jill in two hours. Pushing the thought aside, she grabbed a rag and started to wipe down the counter. Once she could see her own reflection, she glanced at the clock again. Only ten minutes had passed. She knew, in order to keep from going crazy, she needed to keep busy. Sarah sighed. One course of action remained. Catching up on paperwork.

She went downstairs, hopped onto the desk, foregoing a chair, and opened the closest file. After reading the first paragraph for the third time, she decided to give it up. She was about to toss the file aside when Chuck suddenly appeared. He looked a little worse for wear.

"What? What is it?" She remained where she was, scared she might do something stupid in full view of the surveillance.

"Sarah, I need your help. How am I going to survive tonight?" She couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Chuck had no training when it came to this type of mission, any type of mission really, and to make it worse he had a complicated history with the mark. And the last thing he needed was to worry about her own feelings and insecurities. Sarah knew what she had to do. Be Agent Walker, walk him through this and then stand back and trust him.

"Well, a good spy knows what your mark wants." And Sarah had her number. "What do we know about Jill? She's a spy, she wants you to be under her spell."

"Okay, how do I do that?"

"She's gonna test you. When the time is right, she's gonna make certain that she has you," Sarah forced the words out, "that you love her." Chuck didn't look too taken with the idea, which caused her to breathe a little easier. She repeated the mantra in her head that she trusted him, that he was going to see Jill for what she was and not get caught up in the moment and believe it was real.

"How's she gonna do that?"

"When you're most exposed, emotionally exposed, like, uh, an intimate moment, say a kiss." Sarah got up from the desk when Chuck moved closer. "Okay, imagine that I am Jill, the moment is romantic, she's close to you, she's looking into your eyes..." Sarah drifted off as Chuck's gaze caught hers. If he looked at Jill that way…

"Got it. Okay, I got that," Chuck interrupted and she pulled herself together. "I'm trying not to be distracted by the oh so romantic secret base."

Sarah grabbed the remote and dimmed the lights. It wasn't exactly romantic, but that was probably a good thing.

"Concentrate. Look into my eyes." Sensing Chuck's next move, she preempted him. "Don't look up. If you can't hold Jill's stare, look at her lips." Chuck's eyes dropped down to her lips. Sarah remembered what followed the last time he did that. This was not the time or place though. "Good," she responded, keeping them both focused. "Now move her hair back over her ear. When you start to kiss, focus again on her, and just before your lips are about to meet, close your eyes…"

The combination of his fingers gently stroking her ear and his breath mingling with hers was mesmerizing, but remembering where they were, Sarah pulled back slightly. She wasn't fast enough and Chuck's lips brushed over hers. When she leaned closer instead of moving back like Chuck expected, the kiss intensified. He lifted her back onto the desk, but when she made contact with the hard surface, rational thought returned and Sarah broke off the kiss. Still panting, they just stared at each other for a moment. Sarah broke the silence. "If you kiss her like that, I will hurt you."

Chuck gave her a lopsided smile. He was about to retort when a voice behind her caused him to jump backwards.

"I see the seduction training is going well."

Sarah's heart jumped into her throat and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to think of a reasonable excuse, explanation, anything, but suddenly her mind went blank. To make matters worse, Chuck started rambling.

"General, hi. Didn't see you there. We were just…"

Sarah scrambled off the desk, turning at the same time, interrupting Chuck before he got them into even more trouble, if that was possible. "I was just going over what was expected of Chuck for tonight's mission, ma'am." She clasped her hands behind her back and stood a little straighter, hoping she looked more confident than she felt at the moment. General Beckman didn't respond. She didn't have to. The raised eyebrow said it all.

"So I take it you're all set for tonight, Mr. Bartowski?" The tone of her voice gave nothing away. Chuck nodded solemnly. "Very well. I assume you're not going in your…uniform, so you're excused to go prepare for the mission." Sarah could feel Chuck's eyes on her, but when she didn't turn to acknowledge him, hoping he'd understand why, she heard him make his way up the stairs.

"Agent Walker," General Beckman continued once Chuck had closed the door behind him, "I want Major Casey to take point on this one." Sarah wanted to protest, but she knew that would not help her situation at all. She only wished she knew exactly when the General had come online and how much she saw.

"Yes, General. Is there anything else?"

General Beckman sat back in her chair and took her glasses off. "Agent Walker, I know you are aware of agency protocol and the consequences of breaking the rules." Sarah stomach dropped. She had been working so hard to come up with a way to be with Chuck without getting caught, she hadn't thought about what to do should that happen. Not trusting her voice, she simply nodded.

"So now I have to ask, have you compromised yourself and the asset?"

Sarah knew she was in a corner. She could lie, and if the General believed her, she'd have a little more time with Chuck, but once she got caught out, it would not bode well for her career. Or she could tell the truth, plead her case and hope for the best. Her superiors had made unconventional decisions before as far as this assignment was concerned. If they hadn't, Chuck would have been thrown in a bunker a long time ago. So she decided to man up.

"Yes, General." Beckman was clearly shocked by her honesty. "If by compromised you mean whether I have feelings for Chuck, then I can safely say I have been compromised from day one. If you meant whether we…"

"That's quite enough, Agent Walker," Beckman interrupted. "I will take this matter under advisement and inform you of my decision in due course. In the meantime, please inform Major Casey of his role in this mission and report back to me as soon as you've accomplished your goal." With that the screen went blank.

Casey appeared from the back, adding another file to the growing stack on the table. "Well that's just peachy. Now I have to break in a new partner."

"She hadn't reassigned me." Deep down Sarah knew that it was probably inevitable, but she never gave up without a fight. She'd fight for Chuck with everything she had.

"Yet." Casey made his way over to the armory, but she didn't miss him mumble "I hope they send me a lesbian this time."

* * *

Casey and Sarah were on their way back after apprehending Jill's Fulcrum Handler, Leader when she began to wonder if it had been wise to leave Chuck alone with Jill in Castle. Sarah had warned him not to trust her, despite the fact that she saved his life earlier at the fair. But Chuck had always been too trusting.

Sarah knew something was wrong the moment she saw Chuck's face. Jill had tricked him into letting her go. At gunpoint, she forced Casey to uncuff Leader and then locked her and Casey in one of their own cells; Chuck was detained in the opposite one. Sarah had no way to protect him but Chuck had an ace up his sleeve; he managed to disable Castle's systems. The victory was short-lived, however, as Leader found Chuck's weakness: Her. Sarah's eyes darted from the bomb Leader had planted on their cell door to Chuck. She knew what he would do. Sarah pleaded with Chuck not to, but he never could stay in the car or, in this case, his cell, when her life was threatened. She watched helplessly as he was being led away and made a desperate attempt at saving him.

"Jill!"

But when Jill turned, Sarah saw that all too familiar look. The woman was dedicated to her cause; everything else had been a lie. Asking her to help would be pointless. "If you hurt him, I swear…" Jill cut her off with a scoff and Sarah promised herself that it would not be an empty threat.

Sarah had eventually calmed down enough to sit down, but her mind was working a mile a minute. There had to be a way out, a way to save Chuck. A beep from the access panel drew her attention immediately. Chuck had unlocked their cell too. She and Casey pried the door open, eager to get to the BuyMore where Chuck had led the Fulcrum agents.

Casey went after Leader, she wanted Jill. With her gun drawn, Sarah carefully navigated the corridors, secretly hoping Jill would give her a reason to shoot first and ask questions later. She did a quick scan of the break room, but it was empty, as was the cage. She got the sinking feeling that Jill had escaped. What worried her more was that she had no idea where Chuck was. What if Jill had him? Would she go so far as to kill him this time? Sarah pushed through the door to the loading docks and almost dropped to her knees in relief when she saw Chuck standing next to his NerdHerder, his eyes fixed on the person inside.

"You should know I wanted to help you. I was gonna let you get away. But then you were about to kill Sarah. It made the decision for me. You're under arrest Jill. And I'm breaking up with you."

Sarah lowered her weapon to her side as she watched Chuck walk away. Then the meaning of his words finally sunk in. In the past few days Chuck had forgiven Jill many things, sided with her when Sarah didn't want him to and trusted her when he really shouldn't have, but in end, when it really mattered, he proved his choice.

* * *

With the mission finally over, Sarah and Chuck strolled through the courtyard. Casey was back at Castle, finishing up the paperwork. Sarah sank down on the edge of the fountain, patting the spot next to her. Chuck sat down, careful not to touch her. She could only imagine what he was thinking.

"You did good today, Chuck."

"Yeah, I guess so." Sarah raised an eyebrow. "It's just…I can't believe Jill would turn on her country like that. I thought I knew her. I trusted her. Maybe I'm just too trusting. Ever since I was a kid I really wanted to believe what everybody told me, you know. I'm just getting used to this new job. All the spying and lying…"

"Don't get used to it. What makes you special is that you're not like any other spy. You're a good guy and you want to help people. Leave the deception to me."

"Well, I'm glad I have you."

"Yeah, we're better as a team." Sarah couldn't help but wonder how long that would last. Maybe her confession to Beckman was a mistake. Or maybe it was the best thing she ever did. Only time would tell. Chuck must have had the same concern.

"So what did Beckman say?"

"Not much. She was more focused on the mission."

"Sarah, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you like that. If you get into trouble, it's all my fault."

She placed her hand over his and shook her head. "Don't blame yourself, Chuck. I'm the agent. I should have been more…" She was about to say 'professional', but caught herself in time. That was the excuse she'd used to keep him at arm's length. "I should have been more aware of our surroundings."

"Speaking of which, aren't we on camera now?"

"Well, I guess it's a bit of a moot point."

"So Beckman knows."

Sarah sighed. "Beckman knows."

Chuck turned his hand, lacing his fingers through hers. Sarah laid her head on his shoulder and Chuck's free arm immediately wrapped around her back. "You know what?" she asked softly when he pulled her closer, "I am totally exhausted." She wouldn't normally confess something like that, but there was something about Chuck, the way he just held her, not expecting anything, that caused her walls to slip.

"Physically, mentally or emotionally?"

"All of the above."

Chuck placed a soft kiss in her hair before dragging her up with him. "Well, I can fix that." With his arm around her shoulders, he led her towards his apartment. "I will draw you the best bubble bath you've ever had, just like I used to do for Ellie when she came home after a long day at med school, then make you some chamomile tea and tuck you in for the night. And tomorrow we can worry about Beckman and Fulcrum and the safety of the free world. Sound like a plan?"

Sarah groaned. "Sounds like heaven."

* * *

_**Next time on A Common Spy Problem:**_

"_Well, you could have just told me that the bubbles covered everything."_

_Sarah gave him a wicked grin. "Disappointed?"_


	4. Chapter 4

**A Common Spy Problem**

A/N: Stuff I've learned from other people on this site:

MyNameIsJeffNImLost – never warn people about the fluff.

Doc in Oz – who needs a plot?

MCdarklydreaming – whenever there's steam, remind people to support KenMar Rescue.

Nervert – I shouldn't write after 1am. Thanks for all you hard work on this chapter, buddy. And I'm sorry, but Ellie buys really large towels.

I don't own Chuck.

Chapter 4

Chuck did not lie. The water temperature was perfect, the bath salts had adequately dissolved and she couldn't remember the last time she saw so many bubbles. Sarah sank back against the side of the tub and closed her eyes, allowing the lavender to attack her senses. She felt all the stress of the last couple of days fade away. After a while she heard the door open and peeked through one eye. She couldn't stop the giggle that escaped.

"Chuck, what are you doing?" He closed the door with an elbow, searching blindly for the closed toilet lid while trying not to drop the clothes he was carrying.

"I brought you something to change into once you're done," he explained, finally finding his target and depositing the t-shirt and boxers.

"Well, in case you have forgotten, and my ego might not survive if you did, you have seen me naked. It's okay to look."

He swallowed and a faint blush rose up from his neck. "I just wasn't sure…I mean we haven't…we're supposed to wait and…"

"Chuck, we made love." Sarah didn't know if it was her verbal acknowledgement of the fact or her use of the L-word that stumped him, but at least he dropped his hand from his eyes. He opened one and then the other.

"Well, you could have just told me that the bubbles covered everything."

Sarah gave him a wicked grin. "Disappointed?"

"A little," he confessed with a smile.

She laughed softly and motioned him closer. "Keep me company?"

Chuck sank down to the floor next to the tub, his back propped up against the shower wall. He rested his elbows on his knees, lacing his fingers together. His expression turned to one of concern. "You're not, are you? Disappointed, I mean. I know you were probably expecting more and I always imagined that I'd make it perfect for you when we finally…"

"Chuck, I was far from disappointed. Trust me." Sarah wanted to say more, but she always had trouble converting her feelings into words.

"Okay, good. That's good, because it was…"

"Explosive?"

He nodded. "Yeah, like unscrewing a soda bottle after shaking it for a bit…" Sarah's mouth fell open and Chuck went red again. "Oh god, sorry, that was inappropriate."

"And a little dirty," Sarah retorted as she stifled a laugh.

"Uhm…yeah, sorry…I didn't mean…I actually wanted to…uhm…that's from Batman." Chuck was clearly uncomfortable and Sarah couldn't help but tease him.

"Somehow I seriously doubt that."

"Yeah, well…you're gonna turn into a prune," he suddenly changed the subject and got up. Sarah thought he was going to leave, but instead he grabbed a towel and held it open. She would have preferred to stay in the bath a little longer, but his arms were just too inviting.

Chuck's eyes stayed mainly on her face, but he was still a guy and Sarah didn't miss him sneaking a peek. Well, three peeks. She smiled inwardly as she took the towel from him and wrapped it around herself. He hadn't moved away and Sarah swallowed and tilted her head. Their eyes caught and held for several moments before Chuck blinked and turned away to retrieve their toothbrushes from the cabinet. Without a word he squeezed toothpaste on both and handed Sarah hers.

She had never tried to brush her teeth and catch her breath simultaneously before, but somehow she managed not to choke. Once they were done Chuck returned the toothbrushes to their spot. Sarah wasn't ready for their private time to end, so when Chuck turned back to her, she decided to make sure he'd done a good job.

He tasted like peppermint and mouthwash. A moan escaped her throat when he returned the gesture, sweeping his tongue over her teeth. After she was done with her inspection, she pulled hers back and flicked the tip against his. Chuck cradled the back of her head as he deepened the kiss. His other hand found its way under the towel and his fingers traced a path down her spine. Sarah shivered at the contact on her bare skin. She wrapped her arms around his neck to steady herself. His hand came to rest low on her back and he pressed her body closer to his. She grabbed a fistful of his shirt when he groaned. His hands moved to the back of her thighs, lifting her up to wrap her legs around his waist. He took a step forward and she collided with the bathroom door, a little harder than Chuck had obviously intended.

He lifted his head. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," was all she managed before attacking his lips again. Somehow they both heard 'bathroom sex, awesome' on the other side of the door and pulled away at the same time, staring at each other wide eyed.

"Oh god, they think we're doing it," Chuck whispered.

"Chuck, we are." Or were getting there at least, she thought, suddenly regretting that she hadn't taken him back to her hotel.

After Awesome's comment brought them to their senses, panting and shaken, Sarah toweled herself dry and changed into the clothes Chuck had brought earlier. He insisted on keeping his back turned and Sarah didn't protest, not wanting to add to the temptation. As always, she was mindful that the rest of the house was under constant surveillance, and she really didn't want to give Casey an eyeful, or Beckman any more ammunition, until she'd figured out exactly what she was doing.

Sarah opened the door, made sure the coast was clear and shoved Chuck out before her, in the direction of the bedroom. They had decided on making a quick getaway, rather than facing Chuck's sister and her boyfriend. Calling a 'good night' in the direction of the living room, they reached their destination without being caught. So much for acting normal for the cameras.

Long after they had said a chaste good night and turned the lights off, Sarah was still staring at the ceiling. Chuck had placed a few pillows between them to avoid a 'Paris Hilton incident', but nonetheless, his hand had found hers under the covers, their fingers laced together, and neither of them had let go. Sarah turned her head to study his profile in the reflected moonlight. Ellie had made him get a haircut again. Sarah made a mental note to drop subtle hints that, as his girlfriend, some decisions should pass through her in the future. She just hoped she would be around and available for such consultations.

Sighing, she turned on her back, running possible scenarios through her head. Beckman might reassign her. She could accept that, get on a plane and try and maintain a long distance relationship with Chuck, assuming what he said was true - that he had been lying when he told her he didn't want that. Or she could quit the CIA. Staying with Chuck definitely outweighed leaving him, but both options left her out of the loop when it came to his protection and she would no longer be able to ensure he stayed out of a bunker.

They could run away together, but what kind of life would that be? Chuck would never see his family and friends again and they would never be able to settle down. Plus it would be a temporary solution. Like she told Chuck that morning on the beach, you couldn't outrun the government, especially not when you've committed treason and practically stole the most valuable asset the agency had. It would put a strain on their relationship for as long as they were together and once they got caught, they would be split up for good.

Sarah considered telling both Chuck and Beckman she made a mistake. She could break it off with Chuck and tell the General she had lied. If by some miracle Beckman believed her, she'd get to stay as Chuck's handler, protecting him from rogue agencies, and occasionally, the good guys. But she would lose what she had with him, what they were building, and she wasn't so sure she could go back to how it was before. Even if she could, she ran the risk that he might never forgive her and then they'd never have a future together. A real relationship under the cover one was out of the question. Beckman would keep a closer eye on them, of that much, she was sure.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Sarah was about to send a profanity out to the universe for playing such a cruel joke, when she remembered something Director Graham said the day they met. _"Your father taught you well, the CIA can do even better." _And they had done just that. Maybe it was time she put her training to use in a way they never had expected.

Satisfied that there was light at the end of the tunnel, which did not belong to an oncoming train, Sarah let out a slow breath. She carefully pulled her hand out of Chuck's and extracted the pillows between them, dropping them quietly to the floor. Turning to Chuck, she draped a leg over his, wrapped her arm around his torso and nestled her nose into his neck. He stirred and mumbled her name, but then enveloped her in his arms and drifted back to sleep. Sarah soon followed.

* * *

Sarah awoke when the first rays hit her face. Usually she'd turn without opening her eyes and ensure the alarm clock suffered the brunt of her morning grumpiness, but this morning there was no annoying beeping, and her arms were otherwise occupied. Instead she relaxed and savored the moment. She noticed the moment Chuck's breathing changed, indicating that he was awake.

"Don't open your eyes and turn your head slowly away from the camera," she whispered. He was still too groggy to question her, but at least he obeyed. His stubble scratched her cheek.

"Good morning," he breathed against her ear. "What time is it?"

"Early. Around six I think."

"Then we should probably go back to sleep." He tightened his arms around her. "Or do a little more of this." Sarah was about to respond when the bedroom door suddenly flew open.

"Chuck! Chuck, you've got to help me. It's an emergency." Chuck bolted upright and Sarah's hand immediately found her gun under her pillow, her eyes scanning for the threat that had Ellie so frantic.

"What? What? Ellie, are you okay?"

"No! No! Devon's parents decided to take the Red Eye in from Connecticut to surprise us." Sarah let out a relieved breath and relaxed her grip. Ellie on the other hand was still panicked as she scurried around the room, picking up their discarded clothes.

"You scared the heck out of me. I thought it was life or death." Chuck tried to calm her, but Hurricane Ellie was on a roll.

"It is! These are two perfect parents who raised three perfect boys in a perfect house and this place is a pigsty." With her free hand, Ellie began straightening the covers, despite the fact that the bed was still occupied.

"Don't worry," Chuck tried again, "we have time to clean up. If they flew all night they're gonna wanna sleep all morning."

"Are you kidding me? The awesome apple doesn't fall far from the awesome tree." Sarah couldn't recall the last time she heard Ellie actually call her fiancé that, let alone use the word twice in one sentence.

"Ellie," she started calmly, "why don't you get the living room and I'll clean up in here?" Ellie froze momentarily, her eyes darting between Chuck and Sarah.

"I didn't interrupt anything, did I? Never mind, you don't have time for that now." She was halfway out the door before her head popped in again. "Thank you, Sarah."

Sarah shook her head in amusement, nudging Chuck. "You heard your sister. We better get a move on."

After making sure she'd done her part, Sarah slipped into the bathroom once Chuck was done. She emerged ten minutes later, ready to face the day…and Beckman. She briefly wondered if she couldn't trade Ellie for the Awesomes. Hearing voices in the living room, she made her way down the hall. She stopped in her tracks when she spotted an older, much older, blonde woman engulfing Chuck in a hug.

"You just call me Honey."

Sarah resisted the urge to raise a displeasing eyebrow and with three long strides she was at Chuck's side. He'd manage to extract himself and she slipped an arm around his waist as he started to make introductions. Sarah felt a little silly about her initial reaction, but it was forgotten when she sensed Chuck's uneasiness. Sarah had noticed before that Chuck had a bit of an inferiority complex when he was around Devon and deduced that it must be worse being around even more awesomeness. She gave him a quick squeeze and a smile, before gracefully excusing the two of them and leading Chuck out the door.

"It's not even eight yet and you already saved me once," Chuck quipped when they reached their cars. Sarah just smirked and straightened his tie. "I should probably go. Don't want to unleash the wrath of Emmitt Milbarge. I'll see you tonight for the food tasting." He opened her door and waited for her to get in before gently closing it. "Drive safe."

"You forgot something, sweetie," Sarah called when he was already halfway to the NerdHerder. Chuck turned on his heel.

"What?" he asked as he crouched down next to the Porsche.

Sarah raised a questioning eyebrow. "My goodbye kiss?" A smile broke over Chuck's face when he leaned in through the window and briefly captured her lips. Then he gave her a second kiss before straightening. Now she was ready to face the day.

_**

* * *

**_

Next time on A Common Spy Problem:

"_So you and the moron are going at it now?"_

"_Stop calling him that, Casey."_

"_What can I say? I don't deal too well with competition."_

_Sarah was taken aback. "But you said you weren't interested."_

"_I lied," he grunted._

* * *

A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who has read this far and a special thank you for all the awesome reviews you guys have left. There will probably not be an update before or by Friday, so remember April Fool's day and have fun! I just did.


	5. Chapter 5

**A Common Spy Problem**

A/N: Firstly, yes, that was an April Fool's joke, so if you're waiting for Casey to confess his love to Sarah, you're gonna be disappointed. Secondly, 30 reviews on one chapter – wow! I can't thank you enough and if you keep that up, I'd be forced to find a way to work around the two month hiatus I had planned in order to study for exams. Thirdly, a big thank you to Nervert, and his better half, for the beta and awesome suggestions on this chapter. Unfortunately I had to stick with some of the inaccuracies they have pointed out for other stuff to work, so a, if you're a medical professional, forgive me, and b, don't try any of this at home. And fourth, by the very off chance that Chuck doesn't get a season 5, please don't sue me to supplement your income – I have never claimed to own this show.

Chapter 5

Sarah had beaten Chuck to the BuyMore Plaza since he had promised to pick up Morgan first. Just as she was about to park, she spotted three customers in front of the Orange Orange, waiting for the shop to open. She glanced down at her watch. If she was going to make it to Palm Springs, complete her mission and be back before the scheduled afternoon briefing, she had to act fast. Waiting for the yogurt machine to heat up, or cool down, or do whatever it did, didn't fit into the equation, so Sarah kept on driving and then doubled back.

She borrowed Chuck's parking space at the back of the BuyMore, her black Porsche sticking out like a sore thumb amidst the red and white Matrix's. The loading dock was deserted and she made her way to the back door without being spotted. She opened it slightly, listening for any noise from the cage. It was quiet. As was the hallway leading to the break room. She squeezed up against the wall, peering around the door. Emmett was standing at the coffee machine, filling up the smallest cup she'd ever seen. So that's what's wrong him, she mused, not enough caffeine. He breathed in the aroma of his beverage as he headed for the door. Sarah slipped back around the corner, listening as his footfall faded away. When the coast was clear, she slipped into the room and through the secret entrance to Castle.

Her first stop was the locker room where she changed into black jeans, a shirt and her leather jacket. Then she raided the supply closet, stuffing medical gloves, a syringe and a box of Xanax into the backpack she was carrying. From the armory she retrieved a tranquilizer pistol. Satisfied that she had everything she would need, she headed out the back door of Castle. According to the surveillance feed, those three old ladies were really in the mood for frozen yogurt and she couldn't risk going through the BuyMore again.

When she rounded the building she spotted the NerdHerder that had blocked her car and cursed. She was about to pull out her lock pick kit, when Chuck stepped into her path. "Care to explain that?" he asked, tilting his head in the direction of the Porsche. Then he noticed her appearance and his eyebrows almost disappeared into his curls.

That was the last thing she wanted to do. Chuck would disapprove, but as far as she was concerned, all was fair in love and war, and this…well, it wasn't war. So instead she shrugged nonchalant. "What's yours is mine."

"Oh? Since when?" She didn't miss the fact that he was trying very hard not to smile. Tugging him down by the tie, their lips millimeters apart, she whispered, "Since we started doing this." When he leaned in, she pulled away, cocking her head sideways. "Please move your car?"

It took Chuck a minute to regain his composure. "What are you up to, Sarah?"

"Mr. Bartowski, are you planning to get to your shift anytime soon?"

Chuck whipped around. "In a minute, Emmett." Sarah took the opportunity to slip past Chuck.

Emmett made a point of looking at his watch. "You should have been behind the NerdHerd desk three minutes ago."

"Can you believe this guy?" Chuck muttered under his breath, ignoring Emmett's comment.

"You should go, sweetie." Sarah reached up and gave Chuck a quick kiss on the lips. "I'll see you later, okay?" As much as Sarah disliked the BuyMore assman, he had just saved her from an awkward explanation, but her consideration of forgiveness didn't last long.

"Is _that _your car?" Emmett asked when Sarah unlocked her door. "Well, that explains it, though how Mr. Bartowski can afford you on a BuyMore salary…"

Sarah's hand shot out to grab Chuck's wrist when he sped past her. Emmett saw the look on his face and backed through the doors into the building.

"Chuck," Sarah had trouble restraining him without hurting him. She tightened her grip. "Chuck, let it go." When he turned to face her, he was breathing deeply in an effort to calm himself. "Hey, it's okay."

"Sarah, he just called you…"

"It's okay," she said more sternly. The last thing she wanted was for Chuck to make a scene. If there was ever a time to stay under the radar, this was it.

"How can you say that?" he asked incredulously. "Doesn't it matter to you that…"

"No," she cut him off. "I don't care what he thinks." Sarah took a step forward and lifted her hand to cup Chuck's cheek. "Yours is the only opinion that matters to me." Her words had the desired effect and he sighed in resignation. "And if it will make you feel better, I'll let you go a few rounds on the dummy down in Castle after the briefing."

"Why?"

"I'll explain that later. Now, I really have to go."

"Yeah, me too. Look, whatever it is you're about to do, just be careful."

"It's not dangerous," she promised and gave his hand a squeeze before sliding into her Porsche.

* * *

Getting onto the 10 was a mission this time of the morning. When Sarah eventually managed to pass the chaos, she floored the gas pedal, heading east. She made good time and sooner than she expected found herself in a residential district, pulling up beside an unfamiliar blue Volkswagen. Evidently he wasn't alone, but at least he was home. She grabbed her backpack from the passenger seat and jogged up the gravel driveway. She knocked and waited. There was a scuffle inside, then the door opened.

"Sarah? This is a surprise." The fact that he hadn't addressed her as Agent Walker was a clear indication that whoever else was in the house was within earshot. Judging by his appearance, and reputation, Sarah knew exactly what the sit rep was. Under different circumstances she would have felt guilty for what she was about to do. She lunged forward, throwing her arms around his neck. "It's good to see you, Dad. Is Mom around?"

* * *

Roan Montgomery winced as he pressed the bag of frozen peas against the still visible handprint on his left cheek. "I do not approve of your methods, Agent Walker." It sounded more like a compliment than a reprimand.

Sarah gave him her most apologetic smile and pulled a very expensive bottle of gin from her bag. "I come bearing gifts."

Roan's eyes narrowed. "You want something."

"Just a little advice," she lied. It was an easy sell. He had tried to play matchmaker before, giving Chuck pointers on how to win her over. If there was anyone in the CIA who might back her up, it would be Agent Montgomery, but he had a history with the General and Sarah wasn't so sure that it could work in their favor if she asked him straight out to help. Plus, if worse came to worse, she would prefer that he had deniability. No need to get more people involved in this than she had to. Hopefully he'd see it that way too. "Why don't you get dressed," she suggested, her eyes falling to his red silk robe, "and I'll make you one of the best martini's you've ever had. Then we can talk."

"Now that's the second best idea I've heard all day," he answered suggestively and disappeared down the hall to the bathroom. If it was anyone else, Sarah would have been offended, but this was Roan being Roan. She could almost see what Beckman saw in him. Personally, she preferred charming, caring and funny to suave and overconfident. She had been given that choice once and she was perfectly happy with her decision.

When she heard the shower running, she unzipped her backpack and pulled out her supplies. She found two glasses in the liquor cabinet and a bottle of olives in the fridge. She poured the gin into the martini shaker and set it aside. Then she crushed a couple of Xanax tablets between two spoons, poured the powder into the back of the syringe and added a few drops of gin to dissolve it. She snapped a medical glove onto her left hand and picked up the first olive. Scrunching her face in disgust, she injected the liquid into two of the offending fruit. Then she skewered them with a toothpick and rested them on the side of the glass. She filled the empty glass with water, hesitating before dropping two untainted olives in. Her stomach churned at the thought of having to drink that in a minute. "You owe me big time, Chuck," she whispered to herself as she cleaned up all the evidence.

She heard Roan's approach and grabbed the martini shaker, gave it a couple of good shakes and poured the gin just as he appeared back in the kitchen. Smiling, she handed him the freshly prepared drink and followed him out to the patio.

* * *

An hour later Sarah was back on the freeway. She felt a little more hopeful, even if it didn't go exactly as planned. She had learned only two things about the General she didn't already know, but she doubted that the fact that Beckman was a dirty blonde in the eighties was going to come in handy. Roan gave her something better, though. Now all she needed to do was some research to fill in the holes in his story. She felt bad for having to tranq him in order to administer the antidote, but given the daily amount of alcohol he takes in, he could probably use the sleep.

She parked in her normal spot in front of the Orange Orange and headed downstairs to change back into her uniform and grab her laptop. She sat down in a booth at the back, one that was in the surveillance blind spot, but still had a view of the door. She booted up the computer and typed in the first search command.

Hours passed. Sarah sat back and resisted the urge to slam a fist into the table. The only record she could find of Agent Frost was a picture and an entry that she had been captured while on a mission in Russia. There was no information regarding an asset code named Orion. All she had was Roan's word that the CIA had allowed a handler to marry her asset. If that was true, the agency had set a precedent, or at the very least they were willing to bend the rules, but without concrete evidence, she was going to have to take a shot in the dark.

Sarah was startled when the bell over the door rang and shut the laptop.

"Now I know you're up to no good," Chuck joked as he closed the distance to the booth and plopped down next to her. She smiled back at him, but it faltered when he placed a hand on her knee and leaned in, his eyes dropping to her lips.

The bell rang again and they jumped apart.

"Briefing. Downstairs. Now," Casey grunted and disappeared into the back without so much as glancing at them.

* * *

"The Global Launch Agency conducts top secret research for the NSA. Most of our surveillance and weapons tracking technology is developed there. Last night someone penetrated one of the secure facilities and stole an advanced inertial guidance system. The surveillance from the parking lot picked up this image." General Beckman's face was replaced with a picture of a silver van, showing an African American man through the passenger window.

Sarah saw Chuck's eyelids flutter. At the same time Casey muttered "Sensei" under his breath. The image was replaced by a picture of the perpetrator standing next to a young Casey with several karate students in the background. Beckman continued. "Ty Bennett. Karate master. Kung fu expert. Master strategist. A former instructor at our training facility and today one of our most-wanted rogue agents."

It was obvious to Sarah that Casey felt betrayed. Bennett was his mentor and often a real trust developed in those situations. Unfortunately Chuck didn't get it. He needled Casey about his sensei being a badass, despite her kicking him under the table. It didn't go down well. The two of them got into it and Sarah tried in vain to get them to back off. General Beckman finally defused the situation.

"Gentlemen," she warned. They stood down. "We have intel pinpointing the location where Bennett plans to transfer the GLA technology to his buyer. It's a construction site in Simi Valley. Agent Walker and Major Casey, I want you to stop the deal and recover the guidance system. Chuck, you're sitting this one out." She left no room for disagreement. It was pointless to argue with a blank screen.

* * *

The situation didn't sit well with Sarah. Beckman had yet to mention anything about her confession and she couldn't shake the feeling that this was the calm before the storm. Benching Chuck was just the beginning. They were being split up. The only reason her butt wasn't on a plane back to Washington was probably due to the urgency of their current mission.

To make matters worse, Sarah and Casey were on their way back to Castle to inform Beckman that the mission was a setup, but at least Chuck hadn't been there when the bomb exploded. Sarah's relief was short-lived when Casey's phone rang. Bennett was at the BuyMore and Chuck had decided to follow him. Her heart rate spiked when the line went dead. She ordered Casey to step on it and activated Chuck's tracker on her phone.

They made it back to the plaza in record time and spotted Bennett in the underground parking garage. He and Casey revved their engines and Casey floored the gas pedal. At the same time Sarah located Chuck's coordinates, indicating that he was in the BMW they were rapidly approaching head on.

She panicked. "Casey, stop! Chuck's in the car. You're gonna kill Chuck." Sarah's eyes were fixed on the car in front in of them, hoping that one of them would disengage, but it didn't happen. "Casey!" He swerved at the last second and Bennett crashed into the parked cars on his right.

Casey took off after Bennett and Sarah went straight for the BMW. She popped open the trunk and leaned against it for support as she tried to get herself under control. Chuck was okay.

"It's actually more spacious in here than you might think," he quipped as he unfolded himself from the small space. She offered him her hand as he got out and then punched him in the shoulder before roughly pulling him towards her. Her heart was still racing.

"Don't ever do that to me again."

"Uhm, Sarah," Chuck spoke after a moment, "you're kinda crushing me." She held on for another second before breaking the hug and taking a step back. When he rubbed his shoulder where she'd hit him, something inside her snapped.

"What the hell were you thinking, Chuck?" His hand froze.

"I was trying to stop a really bad guy from getting away."

"That is my job, not yours." She noticed something flicker in his eyes, just like every time he'd lied to Ellie. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Sarah folded her arms across her chest and shook her head slowly. "Try again."

He threw his hands up. "Okay, fine, that wasn't the only reason. I was trying to prove to Beckman that we were still a good team, that she needed all of us. Together." His words hit her like a fist in the gut. It had never occurred to her that he shared her fear of being split up.

"We are staying together, Chuck. No matter what." She expected a goofy grin. She didn't get one.

"How can you promise that? You told me that a CIA officer didn't get to choose, that it would be unprofessional to be together, that Beckman would reassign you if she suspected that you were compromised and now she knows…"

"You told me I'm Sarah Walker and I can do anything," she countered. Chuck didn't have a comeback for that. She reached out a hand and laid it on his arm. "Trust me, Chuck. It's all gonna work out."

He stepped closer and she let her hand drop to her side. "You're serious about this, aren't you?"

"I always have been." Her words were a mere whisper, but standing this close, he didn't miss them. "I thought I could wait, but I was wrong. I need more." He kept her gaze, daring her to say what she wasn't saying. She hesitated, but only for a second. "I need you."

* * *

_**Next time on A Common Spy Problem:**_

"_General, I really appreciate that you're doing this, but please, I don't think I have it in me to wait twenty years." Beckman abruptly ended the conversation by disconnecting the link, but not before Sarah saw the look of regret that flashed across her face. She'd struck a chord. _


	6. Chapter 6

**A Common Spy Problem**

A/N: I know, I know, it's been a while, but you were warned. Given that we have an 11 day break due to all the public holidays here and our boss being awesome, I have managed to do a little writing though and am happy to report that I've just received chapter 7 from my awesome beta, Nervert, who has also once again worked his magic on this chapter. If you haven't read his stories (Chuck vs the Pacific Northwest, followed by The Revenge of the Bartowski), you don't know what you're missing. I'm trying my utmost best to get chapters 8 and 9 done before the weekend, but I'm not gonna promise – I have two really bulky and boring textbooks to memorize, not to mention an insane amount of case law, so the next 4 weeks are going to be challenging. Before we get to the good stuff, I just wanna say I'm still in awe of the number of reviews on this story – it makes all the effort put into writing so worthwhile and I can't thank you enough. I hope those of you who celebrates had a blessed Easter. Remember to keep supporting Chuck – let's get them another season. Also spare a thought for the puppies at KenMar Rescue. Lastly, I don't own Chuck and parental guidance is advised for younger readers.

Chapter 6

General Beckman was furious when she learned about the impromptu game of chicken. Sarah tried to cover for Casey with Beckman, and for Chuck, who let it slip, with Casey. Both attempts were in vain. Casey was benched, Chuck was back in the field and Sarah was trying to figure out when this had all turned into a football game. Beckman barked the order that Casey were to remain in lockdown and the second the screen went blank, he was on Chuck like white on rice. Sarah stepped in between them and loosened Casey's grip on Chuck's collar.

"Chuck, please wait for me upstairs."

He sent Casey a last glare and after the door closed behind him. Sarah turned to Casey. He paced to the armory and back.

"I can't believe it. Beckman was out of line pulling me out of this mission."

"I agree with her. You're too emotionally involved." Sarah knew she had just stepped into a minefield.

Casey scoffed. "This from the agent who can't keep her chocolate out of Bartowski's peanut butter."

"Whatever my feelings may be for Chuck, I never knowingly endangered the asset. You let your anger toward Bennett cloud your judgment."

Sarah was still angry at him for the stunt he had pulled earlier, but if worse came to worse and she couldn't convince Beckman to see things her way, she might need his discretion to pull off Plan B. For that to happen though, she needed for Casey to realize that feelings weren't always a liability, not when it came to mission you felt strongly about. So she extended an olive branch. "Stay here tonight, clear your head, and tomorrow we'll take Bennett down. You and me."

Casey eyed her skeptically and turned without a word, disappearing into the back of Castle. Sarah refused to let him get to her. Hopefully he'd be more rational come morning. She grabbed her bag and headed up the stairs.

* * *

Team Bartowski's missions rarely went according to plan. They were used to standing shoulder to shoulder, first to be reprimanded by General Beckman and then congratulated on a job well done. Tonight her scolding was aimed at Casey again, this time for not following orders. Once the debriefing had finished, they waited for the general to abruptly disconnect the link like she always did, when she took off her glasses and leaned forward.

"Gentlemen, will you please give me and Agent Walker a moment?"

Sarah used the time it took Chuck and Casey to vacate Castle to steel herself. She was nowhere near as prepared as she would like to be, but she'd spent the better part of the past twenty years thinking on her feet. She could do this.

"Alright, Agent Walker," Beckman started when they were alone, "I've considered what you've told me and reached my decision. I don't have to tell you how important this assignment is and I won't allow anything to jeopardize the safety of the Intersect."

"General…" Sarah was ready to launch her rebuttal, but Beckman held up a hand to silence her.

"Protocol exists for a reason. I understand that long term assignments are difficult at best and it's only natural that you'd start to feel a connection with your asset, but if I permit this to continue, it will not only put the Intersect at risk, but you as well. Agents can't afford to be distracted in the field, so it will be best for all concerned if you were removed from this assignment. I expect you in D.C. by tomorrow afternoon to be debriefed and released back to the CIA." Sarah had expected a reassignment, but it didn't seem real until Beckman spoke the words. When her hand moved to disconnect the link, Sarah knew she had to act fast.

"General, you're making a mistake."

Beckman's hand froze as she fixed Sarah with an appalled glare. "I beg your pardon?"

Sarah took a deep breath to try and get her heart rate under control. She'd never stood up to authority before, but the time to blindly follow orders was over. Who was she kidding? It had been since this assignment started.

"Ma'am, it would be a mistake to extract me. Chuck and I…we care about each other," Sarah knew that was probably the worst place to start, but she had and she needed to push through. "The point is that people have noticed. His family, friends…General, if you reassign me and send in another agent…given Chuck's relationship history, no one is going to believe that he had moved on that quickly. That would blow the cover and put this operation in danger. It would put the Intersect in danger."

"Then we'll come up with a different cover." It was clear that Beckman's patience were running thin.

"General, you just said you don't want to jeopardize the safety of the asset." Sarah hardly ever referred to Chuck that way, but she needed to get through to Beckman. "The cover is only part of that. Chuck needs the best protection the government can offer and that is me. No one has got as much to lose here as I do."

"Emotions are a liability, Agent Walker. Feelings make you vulnerable, prevent you from acting rational. It's not just a theory taught at the farm. The rules are based on failures of the past to prevent them from occurring in future. You are not the first agent to be compromised and you won't be the last, but every case is and will be handled the same way."

"What about Agent Frost and Orion?" Sarah resisted the urge to swallow. She had just pulled the trigger and now she had to wait and see what she'd hit.

Beckman's brow furrowed. "That information is above your pay grade, Agent Walker. What happened with Frost and Orion has no bearing here."

"Agent Frost was Orion's handler. They fell in love, were married and had children. The CIA allowed it." Or at least that's what Roan Montgomery had told her.

"And ended up with a rogue spy, an asset who went off grid and two teenagers who had to fend for themselves. I don't see how this helps your case." Sarah's spy senses started to tingle. Beckman wasn't completely honest.

"General, as I understand it, Agent Frost was captured." That was the only bit of information she was able to obtain, but if the rest of the General's statement was true, she could draw conclusions from that. Orion would have done everything in his power to find his wife, probably neglecting his duties to the greater good in doing so. She wouldn't put it past the government to threaten him, and most likely his children, to get him to focus on the mission he had been assigned to. That could explain his disappearance. Of course Beckman would never admit that, but it wasn't the issue at hand. "I do believe that before Agent Frost's capture, she and Orion were a pretty formidable team. Maybe if he was assigned with her on that last mission…"

"That's quite enough, Sarah. What happened with Frost and Orion is not the concern here. This is about you and the asset."

"Agreed, ma'am, this is about me and…the asset. Like I've said before, I have been compromised for a long time, but I was still able to do my job. You have the proof, General; it's all in the mission reports. I know protocol dictates that I should be reassigned," she continued quickly when it looked like Beckman was about to agree, "but you're not going to find another agent as dedicated to this assignment as me. Chuck's well-being has always been and will always be my first priority, Intersect or not, and that aligns with yours."

Beckman was quite for a long time. Sarah couldn't discern from her expression what she was thinking. Just when she thought she was going to be dismissed out of hand, Beckman sat back and sighed. "I suppose your feelings could be an asset to this assignment." Then she shook her head slightly. "But this is not my rule. I'd have to discuss it with your superiors in the CIA, but in the meantime," Beckman leaned forward again to reiterate her point, "you _will _follow protocol."

This halted Sarah's internal victory dance. "Ma'am?"

"Keep your relationship with the asset professional until a final decision is made." Sarah wanted to refute, but she realized Beckman was covering her own butt. If Langley found out had Beckman known that the agent-asset relationship had been compromised and hadn't reassigned her, Beckman would be in a difficult position. Though she had been in charge of the joint operation since Director Graham's death, flaunting CIA protocol could lead to questions about her leadership should the team suffer a setback. At least Sarah felt she had made some progress and she wasn't about to undo that. Instead she played her final card.

"General, I really appreciate that you're doing this, but please, I don't think I have it in me to wait twenty years." Beckman abruptly ended the conversation by disconnecting the link, but not before Sarah saw the look of regret that flashed across her face. She'd struck a chord.

* * *

Sarah shot the doorman a halfhearted smile and dug through her purse for her keycard.

"Miss Walker," he called just before she reached the elevator. Sarah inhaled deeply and turned around.

"Yes?" It took every ounce of energy she had left not to sound annoyed. The last thing she was in the mood for was making small talk with the hotel employee.

"I let your boyfriend in earlier. I hope you don't mind, I mean, he's been around a lot and I've figured it would be alright with you. I hope it's okay?"

"It's fine." She realized she'd been a bit short so she added "Thank you."

When the elevator doors closed, she leaned her head back against the cool wall and closed her eyes. That was unexpected. It wasn't like him at all to show up without calling. The one time he did, he found Bryce in her room. She sighed. Chuck was probably worried about her. As much as she wanted to be alone tonight to figure out how to tell him that they needed to cool it for a while, the thought of him waiting for her warmed her heart. No one ever had her back quite like Chuck.

Sarah swiped her card, entered and closed the door softly behind her. Chuck was sprawled out on top of the covers – he had fallen asleep while waiting for her. She stared at him for a moment. He looked so peaceful, so innocent, and she was grateful that everything he'd seen since being thrust into this life hadn't changed him. She needed him like this. He filled the holes life as a conman and agent had left.

She toed off her shoes and crawled onto the bed next to him. For a second she considered snuggling up against him and just going to sleep, but she wanted to feel closer to him. She ran a finger down the side of his face and cradled his jaw before closing the distance between their mouths. She brushed her lips over his and it didn't take long for Chuck to respond. His mouth moved lazily against hers. When the need for air won out, she broke the kiss and Chuck opened his eyes. A warm, lazy smile replaced the sleep on his features.

"Hey," he said groggily, "you're back." He blinked the sleep from his eyes. "Sorry for the intrusion, I just thought…"

"What?" Sarah asked as she settled on her side next to him, her head propped up on a bended arm. Her eyes searched his face as his features came together in a slight frown. She'd seen that look all too often when he wanted to say something, but wasn't quite sure how. "Tell me, Chuck," she prompted.

He cleared his throat, his eyes turning to the ceiling. "Bryce once said it's hard to say goodbye so I figured if Beckman reassigned you, you might just get on a plane and leave and I thought I'd preempt you when you came to pack because I really don't want to wake up tomorrow and find you gone and they could never replace you and I couldn't do this anymore if you're not here with me." Chuck paused to take a breath.

When Sarah's mind finally caught up with the string of words, she shook her head. "I told you that we're staying together and I meant it."

Chuck finally looked at her. "It's not that I don't believe you, Sarah, I do. I trust you, but some things are not under our control." Sarah closed her eyes for a moment. Didn't she know it. "So what did Beckman say?" She heard the expectation in his voice.

"She hasn't reassigned me." Sarah pursed her lips. She had no idea how Chuck would take the next bit of information. He had always lobbied for something real and they'd finally crossed that line. She didn't know how he would feel about taking a step back now.

"That's great." His grin stopped halfway. "I sense a 'but' though. What about us?"

It was Sarah's turn to avoid his gaze. She played with the hem of her pillowcase, running the words through her mind one last time. "She doesn't feel she can sanction a relationship without getting the Company's approval. Until then we're back where we started."

Chuck shook his head. "Not quite. We know how we feel, that it's not just a cover. That's all I ever wanted from you, Sarah, an acknowledgement that once things got less complicated, we'd actually have a shot at being together. And now it looks like it might happen sooner than we'd thought."

Sarah stared at him in disbelief. "So you're okay with this?"

"I'll admit it's not ideal, but we'll get there." He reached out a hand to tuck a stray hair behind her ear. "Just have faith."

"You do realize that this is going to be torture." His fingers were trailing down her neck now, sending a shiver down her spine.

Chuck gave her a lopsided smile. "I'll set up as many movie nights with Ellie and Awesome as I can and I promise lots of non-fake cuddling. Will that help?"

"If you really want to help," she whispered as she scooted closer to him and slid a hand under his shirt, "let's make the most of tonight."

"But Beckman…"

"…will think we needed time to talk this through. But as of tomorrow we need to be very careful and hope this will all be resolved soon."

"I know it will," he whispered as his hand cradled her face. He pulled her down into a passionate kiss. Sarah slid a leg across his, shifting herself on top of him. His free arm circled her waist, his hand grabbing hold of her shirt, tucking it upward. Sarah broke away from his mouth and she sat up to allow him to pull it up and over her head. He discarded it onto the floor and grabbed hold of his own, maneuvering out of it.

Sarah leaned forward on her arms and Chuck craned up a little to meet her lips again. His hand moved to the back of her head, releasing her hair from the messy bun. When it fell loose around her face, he pushed it back behind her ears. He gave her a smile before she collapsed onto him, capturing his mouth again. Her hands slid in between his head and the pillow, her fingers curling in his hair. She felt his tongue flicking against her lips, begging for entry. Angling her head, her lips parted and she moaned when he accepted the invitation and deepened the kiss.

Chuck's arm locked around her shoulders and he wrapped a leg around the back of her knees. Before Sarah knew what was happening, he had turned them, pushing her into the mattress.

Surprised, she broke the lip lock. "What was that?"

"Countless hours of watching wrestling with Awesome," he responded as he gently removed her left hand from the back of his neck, guiding it to the pillow above her head. He repeated the motion with the right and then his fingers curled over her wrists, locking them together.

"I know at least fifty ways to get out of this," Sarah panted.

"I know," Chuck retorted with a cheeky grin. "The trick is to make you not want to." Then he lowered his head, tracing her lips with his tongue. When a hungry moan escaped her throat, he leaned in and kissed her hard.

With his free hand he drew a path down the inside of her arm, his soft touch leaving a trail of goose bumps in its wake. Reaching her shoulder, his fingers moved outwards, slowly down her side to her hip and curved inwards again. He released her mouth and their eyes locked. Sarah had given up on trying to regulate her breathing. When he reached his destination, she inhaled sharply and caught her bottom lip between her teeth. Her eyes fluttered shut and she surrendered.

* * *

_**Next time on A Common Spy Problem:**_

"_Has anyone ever told you you're crazy?" he asked, looking around to make sure no one saw what they were doing. His fear was pointless as the parking lot was deserted this time of the morning._

"_No one who lived to tell the tale."_

_He swallowed. "Point taken."_

_Sarah straightened. "All done. Your turn." _

A/N: I know what you're thinking. You're wrong.


	7. Chapter 7

**A Common Spy Problem**

A/N: Happy Freedom Day to the other South African reading this. I wasn't going to post until tomorrow, but all your kind words on the previous chapter have inspired me. I will be sending replies tomorrow during my study breaks, so check your inboxes. Again thank you to Nervert for the beta, he had some awesome ideas for this one. As per usual he has not seen the rewrite, so any errors that might have slipped through are mine. Chuck is not.

Chapter 7

Sarah awoke when the mattress dipped. Her eyes caught sight of the alarm clock Chuck had given her last Christmas. It read 3:37. Chuck was sitting with his back to her, pulling on his shoes.

"Where are you going?" she yawned.

Chuck jumped, whipping his head around. "Oh, sorry, I didn't wanna wake you."

Sarah pulled herself up against the headboard and grabbed the sheet before it slipped down her naked form. "That doesn't answer my question." She yawned again.

Chuck gave her a sheepish look. "I just figured it would be better…uhm…given our current situation, if it didn't look like I've spend the night here. You know, with Beckman watching."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." Sarah sighed. "It won't be forever." The consolation was more for her benefit than his.

"Hey, you know the government," he joked as he bent over to tie his laces, "All that red tape to get through."

"I kinda told Beckman to hurry along."

Chuck straightened and shot her a shocked look. "Did you tell the director of the National Security Agency that you want to break protocol and that she should get her butt in gear and approve it?"

"Not in those exact words," Sarah defended herself and then thought of something else. "How are you going to explain to Ellie that you didn't come home last night and then, all of the sudden, you're there for breakfast? It's not like you've got an early shift at the BuyMore as an excuse."

Chuck shrugged. "I'll just tell her that you're a horrible cook." His quip earned him a pillow in the chest. "Owww."

"You big baby."

"That's not what you called me last night, at least not the baby part," he retorted and jumped to his left to avoid being hit again. "I guess someone's not a morning person," he mused as he retrieved the pillows from the floor and put them back on the bed. He grabbed his wallet and phone from the night stand and stuffed them into his pockets.

"It's about to get worse," Sarah mumbled and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She wrapped the sheet around her, walked over to her cupboard and pulled out her overnight bag. Then she picked up her clothes from the floor, shed the sheet and started to get dressed.

Chuck frowned. "Where are you going?"

"Same place as you," she answered as she gathered her hair into a messy ponytail. "Can't have you wandering the streets this time of day all by yourself."

"I'm not going to wander, I have my car. And I'll be fine, honey. Can't you just follow my little red dot on your phone there until I'm home and go back to sleep?"

Sarah's hands stilled and she raised her head to meet his eyes. A small smile formed. "That's nice."

"My concern for your beauty sleep?"

Her smile grew at his confusion and she shook her head slightly.

Chuck's eyes widened. "Oh, that," he shrugged and then gave her a matching grin. "Yeah, I like it too." After a beat he continued. "Not that I didn't mean it when I called you 'sweetie' before, it wasn't just for the cover, well, not every time…"

"Chuck, you're babbling."

"Oh, yeah, right," he pressed his lips together and looked down at his shoes and then back up again. "Uhm…I should go."

"We," Sarah corrected, finishing tying her hair.

"That's really not necessary. I'll be fine."

"If I come with you," she started to explain, but paused when she ducked under the bed to retrieve a shoe box, "then we could sneak into your bedroom and Ellie and Casey would think we were just out late. That way we can sell the cover and the non-cover."

"You're not making any sense."

"That's because it's not even four in the morning." This time she stifled her yawn. "Just follow my lead." She opened the lid, took out a stuffed evidence bag, closed the box again and stowed it away. "Just give me a minute," she spoke over her shoulder as she disappeared into the bathroom. She splashed cold water on her face, quickly brushed her teeth and emerged feeling a little more alert. Chuck had already shouldered her bag and was holding out the evidence bag to her.

"What's this for?"

"You'll see," she answered cryptically as they left the room.

* * *

Chuck leaned with his hands against the Herder's roof, lifting one foot and then the other. "Has anyone ever told you you're crazy?" he asked, looking around to make sure no one saw what they were doing. His fear was pointless as the parking lot was deserted this time of the morning.

"No one who lived to tell the tale."

He swallowed. "Point taken."

Sarah straightened. "All done. Your turn."

They switched places. "I still think this is ridiculous," Chuck complained as he took a handful of sand out of the bag and rubbed it on the sole of her shoe. "No one is going to look this closely. Besides, it's all probably gonna end up in the car anyway."

"Well, telling people we were at the beach and lost track of time is kind of lame, so there's got to be sand somewhere to sell it. We should probably rub some on the wheels as well. Get the car mats too."

Chuck made a displeased sound in the back of his throat. "You do realize Emmett's gonna take the cost for detailing this car out of my pay check?" Sarah responded with a smirk. "Why do you even keep sand in you room?"

"Because I'm always prepared. Now hurry up."

"Note to self," Chuck mumbled as he got to work, "never wake girlfriend up before seven in the morning."

"Eight," Sarah corrected.

"Again, point taken."

* * *

Chuck quietly unlocked the apartment door, but Sarah's hand on his arm stopped him from entering.

"Wipe your feet," she whispered.

Chuck rolled his eyes. "You've got to be kidding me." She couldn't hold it in any longer. Mindful that the neighbors were asleep, no sound escaped, but she couldn't stop her shoulders from shaking. Chuck gaped at her.

"You were messing with me?" he accused in a low voice. All she could do was nod. "Not cool, Sarah," he pouted.

"That's what you get for trying to sneak out on me, I don't care what your excuse is," she whispered back and shoved him through the door. "Now let's get to bed. I still have a few winks to catch."

The covers stretched awkwardly, pulled up around Chuck's shoulders as he lay on his back and tucked under Sarah's arm, who was facing away from him.

"You know you're going to be cold in an hour, can't you just pull the blanket higher?" Chuck whispered in the dark.

"I can't fall asleep if my arm is under the covers. It makes me feel like I'm trapped." She pulled at the blanket again, but it didn't help. "Do you have to be snug as a bug in a rug?"

Chuck didn't answer and she knew why – he was filing away another tiny bit of information he learned about her. The thought made her sad. She knew how desperate he was to get to know the girl under the hardcore agent, but he had accepted that she had secrets to keep and stopped pushing for information. If her reasons for keeping him in the dark were simply to protect her cover, she wouldn't feel so guilty about it. She trusted him and he had proven himself to be an excellent secret keeper, a reluctant one, but nonetheless. But she was scared. Scared that if Chuck ever found out who she really was, what she had done, that he'd look at her differently. She meant it when she told him his opinion was the only one that mattered and she wasn't about to risk changing it, which is why she was going to have to keep yet another secret.

Sarah pushed the thoughts away and shifted again. "Why haven't we had this problem before?"

"Because we cuddled. You kept me warm." Sarah's frustration eased a little. "Maybe if you moved closer…" Chuck suggested.

"Then the angle would decrease, making it even more uncomfortable. Didn't they teach you that at Stanford?"

"I guess I missed the class on the best geometry for sharing a bed with your girlfriend." He was quiet for a moment. "Would you try something for me?"

"What?"

"Put your arm under the blanket, just for a minute." Sarah suppressed a sigh and did as he asked. Chuck's hand found hers, linking their fingers. His thumb rubbed soothing circles over the back of her hand. "Now close your eyes and relax."

Sarah rolled over onto her back and did as he asked. Apart from her racing mind, her body was actually still gooey from their earlier activities and she felt herself sinking a little deeper into the mattress. She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes.

"Is this okay?" Chuck asked softly.

"Mm hmm," she responded, tightening her grip a little. Though she'd much rather have his arm around her and snuggle into his chest, she still felt oddly safe and drifted off soon after she had closed her eyes.

* * *

Sarah groaned when the first rays of the sun hit her face. Awareness slowly seeped through her body as she willed herself awake. Given that she'd only got a few hours' sleep, and in shifts to boot, she was nowhere near ready to get up, but unfortunately life didn't care much about that. She had to work an early shift in the morning as compromise for taking some personal time off later. And she had yet to figure out what to tell Chuck. The thought of him prompted her to open her eyes. He was still in the same position as when they went to bed, as was she. By some miracle they hadn't shifted in their sleep to end up in a compromising position. Hopefully the rest of the day would go smoothly as well. That notion was short lived.

"Good morning," Chuck grumbled sleepily when his eyes caught hers. Sarah responded with a small smile, sliding her hand out of his and immediately missing the contact.

"So, what's on the agenda for today?" he asked when the silence stretched too long. Sarah tensed immediately, but then berated herself. It was a normal question to ask, there was no way he could know what was really going on.

"Nothing special," she lied and cringed inwardly.

Chuck propped himself up on one elbow and turned to face her. "Well, in that case, you wanna come over later for a fake date with Awesome and Ellie? I promise fake cuddling but real pizza." She knew his phrasing was purely for the benefit of the surveillance, so she didn't dwell on it. There were more important things to worry about.

"I'm sorry, Chuck. I have plans." That was as close to the truth as she was willing to get, but she could immediately sense the wheels in his head starting to turn.

"Oh. Is there a mission tonight? I don't remember getting the memo."

"Uh, nope, no mission. Just plans." It sounded lame, but she hoped that he'd put it down to the fact that she wouldn't want to reveal too much in front of the cameras. No such luck. Chuck was nothing if not persistent.

"What kind of plans?"

"I'm sorry, Chuck, but it's personal." She felt a pang of guilt shoot through her chest when his face fell. If she had been a normal girl, telling her boyfriend that she was having dinner with her father wouldn't have been a big deal, but for her, unfortunately it was.

* * *

Sarah served the last customers before closing time, her smile faltering the minute their backs were turned. It had been a boring day, leaving her with ample time to reflect on this morning. Chuck had been unusually quiet at breakfast and the drive to her hotel had been even worse, especially after she had asked Chuck to drop her there instead of the Orange Orange as she would need her car later. And he had barely returned her goodbye kiss.

Switching the yogurt machine off, she glanced over at the BuyMore. She desperately wanted to stop by before she left, but she had no idea what to say to Chuck. Thanks for a magical night and sorry for repaying you with a lie? Still at a loss, she flipped the light switch and locked the doors. She fished her car keys out of her orange clutch. The BuyMore door slid open and she looked up instinctively, only to notice a burly man hauling a plasma screen to his SUV. With a stab of disappointment she got into the Porsche and revved the engine a little more than necessary. Perhaps it was better to give Chuck some time to cool off. Knowing her father, he'd be gone by tomorrow anyway and then she could focus on fixing things with Chuck.

* * *

Jack Burton hadn't changed much. He was still the smooth and charming man Sarah remembered from before he was arrested nearly ten years ago. His face had aged and his hair had greyed slightly, but the deep baritone voice was familiar, unlike the hug he greeted her with when she opened the door. They never used to that, say a proper hello or goodbye. Sarah took it for what it was – a man who hasn't seen his daughter in almost a decade.

There was a comfortable silence in the car, the kind they were used to, as neither of them spoke much. Though they had a lot of time to catch up on, Sarah couldn't tell him much about her life without blowing her cover and she was better off not knowing what he was up to since his release from prison. It was enough just being with him, even if it was just for a little while and even if she was temporarily on the ousts with Chuck. Her dad was the only family she'd really gotten along with and despite the path he'd chosen, she loved him.

When they reached De Biasio's, Sarah shrugged out of her dad's jacket and handed it back to him. With a small smile he held his arm out again and led her to a table in the middle of the restaurant. Once seated, Jack ordered a bottle of wine. The waiter returned promptly, pouring a sample for Jack to taste. He nodded his approval and the waiter filled their glasses before fading into the background.

"So, Burbank?" Jack did a sweep of his surroundings. "Not the worst place we've ever been."

"No, it isn't," Sarah responded quietly and took a sip of her wine. Her dad had good taste.

Shooting her another smile, Jack picked up the menu. "Let's eat."

Just as Sarah reached for hers, a beeping sound from her phone distracted her. Though it was her night off, she'd kept it logged into the tracking software, just in case. Her heart jumped into her throat when she realized it indicated that Chuck was close by. He must have followed them. She cursed herself for letting her guard down and not noticing sooner. Looking around, she spotted him immediately.

"Uh, excuse me just a moment." She pursed her lips and got up, walking straight to where Chuck was attempting to hide behind his menu.

"Yes, I'd like the linguini with the clam sauce, please." Normally she would laugh at his horrible accent, but she'd spent the better part of the day in anguish over keeping the truth from him and now he was going to find out anyway. She grabbed the menu, placed it back on the table and folded her arms again. "How did you find me?" Chuck asked when she didn't speak.

"The GPS on your watch," she answered tersely. "What are you doing here?"

He looked like a kid who was caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Look, I'm sorry. I came for backup only."

"I told you it was personal."

"I know, I know, but I flashed." She wasn't surprised, given her father's colorful record, but she didn't want Chuck to find out that way. She didn't want him to find out at all. Before she could come up with a response, Chuck was by her side, filling her in on what he had seen. "Look, I'm all for a little time off, and God knows you deserve it, but I think that you should know that the much, much, much older gentleman that you're having dinner with right now is a very bad man, Sarah."

"Chuck…" It turned out worse than she thought – Chuck had jumped to the wrong conclusion. She tried to set the record straight, but Chuck didn't give a chance.

"Let me finish. The guy is a total loser, alright. Absolute bottom-feeding scum of the earth have I mentioned considerably older man?"

Her response was again cut off and she jumped slightly when her dad spoke behind them. "All true, but I'm a hell of a dancer."

Sarah knew she had no choice but to introduce them and she hoped that Chuck's discomfort that was sure to follow, would keep him from asking any further awkward questions. They turned around slowly.

"Chuck, I'd like you to meet my dad, Jack Burton." As she predicted, Chuck looked like he'd swallowed his tongue. "Dad, this is my boyfriend, Chuck." Jack was a little harder to read. His eyes darted from Sarah to Chuck and he had merely raised an eyebrow at the word 'boyfriend'.

Chuck cleared his throat nervously, but remembered his manners and offered his hand. "Ahem, a real pleasure, sir."

* * *

"Man, I feel like an idiot." Chuck broke the silence first while they were waiting for Casey. Sarah burrowed deeper into her father's jacket against the brisk night air.

"It's okay, Chuck."

"No, it's not. Look, I really didn't know what to think when you were so cryptic this morning, but that's no excuse. I shouldn't have intruded on your evening." He gave her a wistful smile.

"I should have told you I was having dinner with my dad. I'm sorry."

Chuck shook his head. "There's no need to apologize, I know you don't like to talk about your past."

"You're my boyfriend, Chuck, you have the right to know. This is just…it's new territory for me." Sarah knew she owed him a better explanation than that, but standing on a sidewalk outside of a crowded restaurant was hardly the place.

"Hey, at least you didn't skewer anything with a pencil this time. That's progress."

She chuckled and Chuck looked relieved that he was able to lighten the mood. "Thanks. So how did you convince Casey to come and fetch you with the surveillance van?" she changed the subject.

"I promised to do a couple of hours of community service to compensate for the wasted tax dollars. And I might have mentioned that it would reflect badly on his record if the Intersect got hijacked from a bicycle on his watch after giving him the slip."

"He is going to make you pay for that."

Chuck sighed. "I know."

* * *

A/N: I haven't written enough of Chapter 8 to give you a spoiler this time around, but I may post a couple on Twitter as the chapter progresses. Now as you've probably noticed, where I merely skimmed canon in the previous chapters, this one is gonna go into a little more detail, given that DeLorean was pretty much a Sarah-centric episode and this is written from her POV, so I hope all the Sarah Walker fans are going to enjoy it.


	8. Chapter 8

**A Common Spy Problem**

A/N: First off, apologies for not getting to everyone yet with review replies. Every time I get really stuck into it, the fudging internet goes down, but I promise that everyone who has taken the time to review this story will get a response at some point. Again I owe a big thank you to Nervert for the beta and you can mostly blame him for Lester. And in case you've missed it, I've updated chapters 6 and 7 back to back, so if this chapter doesn't make sense, you might have missed one.

I don't own Chuck.

Chapter 8

Sarah rolled onto her side and inhaled deeply before letting her hand wander to the sheet beside her. The space was cold and empty. She opened her eyes and stared longingly at the vacant pillow, trying to figure out how she could miss Chuck so much after such a short time. During their cover they had shared a bed only a handful of times and since taking the next step, only twice. She dragged the pillow closer and buried her nose in it, but unfortunately housekeeping had been diligent and she couldn't detect even the faintest hint of a lingering sent. Sighing she turned on her back, hugging the pillow to her chest. She considered calling him, but that was out of the question. His phone was tapped and Beckman would surely request all surveillance reports to make sure Sarah followed orders. The same went for texting. She'd have to settle for taking him a breakfast yogurt to the BuyMore before the morning briefing, even if it meant she had to get up a little earlier than normal. Besides, what was the point of staying in bed if she was just going to be lonely?

There was a knock on the door as she was about to leave. Her mouth tucked upwards and she forced herself not to run. Only two people ever knocked on her door and one of them was currently in deep cover, so she'd bet her Porsche Chuck had decided to swing by to give her a lift to work. Though the Herder was bugged too, they'd still have a little one-on-one time and he'd probably tell her about some crazy thing Morgan did at work or how he'd screwed things up with Anna again. She swept the door open, but her greeting died on her lips. Good thing she wasn't a gambler.

"Dad? You're still here?"

"Of course, Darlin'. It's been a while, so I figured I'd stay for a couple of days." Sarah's smile returned as she let him in. A bellboy followed short on his heels. "And I've ordered us some breakfast." He tipped the bellboy and rolled the tray to the seating area. Sarah sat down on one of the green chairs, pulling her knee up to her chest. Jack took the lid of the first plate with great flare. "French toast, whipped cream, fresh strawberries. Just how you like them."

"When I was twelve." She'd outgrown her taste for rich breakfasts quite a while back and would normally just grab some fruit. Or fruit loops whenever she had breakfast at the Bartowski's. At least she got to spend a little more time with her dad, even if it meant not seeing Chuck until the briefing.

"Oh, well you need to eat something. Big day at work." His tone carried a hint of sarcasm. "What is it you're doing again? Making milkshakes?" He took a seat opposite her and spread a napkin across his lap.

Sarah reached for a glass of orange juice and took a sip. "Frozen yogurt."

"Oh. Sounds stimulating."

"Pays the bills."

"Well, yeah, I can see that." Jack's eyes swept his luxury surroundings. "Very believable."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Sarah knew selling her cover to her father would not be easy, but at least he wouldn't jump to the same conclusions Emmett Milbarge had. He'd just assume she'd been doing what he had taught her to do.

"This place, your job, your name, Sarah Walker, that schnook from last night, Chippy…"

"Chuck," she corrected.

"You're working an angle. I mean, he's probably the son of some rich Beverley Hills family." And there it was. It was fine with her if he thought that she was still in the con game, but if he wanted to get in on the 'action', the people she cared about could get hurt. And she didn't want him to think Chuck was a mark.

"Look, Chuck is my boyfriend, and he makes twelve dollars an hour, so you stay away from him."

"Hey, you don't wanna cut me in, fine. I don't need his money. I got my own." Jack bent down to retrieve a suitcase hidden under the tray. He carried it to bed and zipped it open. Sarah's eyes widened when she saw the contents.

"Oh my God. It looks like almost a million dollars." Not able to sit still, she straightened. The last thing she wanted was for her father to let her in on his latest scheme. She would have to report it. Or worse.

"Well, Christmas came a little early." He tossed her a stack of bills. "For you." Sarah tossed it right back into the suitcase.

"No thanks. I'm not interested in your stolen money." She felt like a hypocrite, knowing she had depended on that source of income when she was a kid, but she was an upstanding citizen now who made her own choices.

"Stolen? That's what you think of your old man? Some two-bit thief?" Jack sounded a little disappointed. "Darlin', a thief has to run out of town as fast as he can, but a good con man…"

"A good con man can leave whenever he wants. I remember, Dad." A lot of what he'd taught her still came in handy in the spy business. And as a federal officer, she had to ask. "So who donated the money, anyway?"

"A couple of months ago I flew over to Dubai. You wouldn't believe the kind of money they've got floating over there. This particular donation is compliments of Sheik Rajiv Amad." Jack's face lit up like it normally did when one of his cons went down without a hitch. Sarah remembered the look all too well.

"Amad, the Saudi oil family?"

"My daughter knows her Arabs."

Sarah realized that she had slipped, so before her father could enquire any further, she decided to make a run for it. He had just compromised both of them and she needed to figure out what her next move should be. She grabbed her purse. "I gotta go to work."

"Uh, forgetting something?" She turned and caught the apron he sent flying through the air. She shot him a small smile. "Have fun at the office."

* * *

Sarah didn't pay much attention to the road. Her mind was racing. Aside from the fact that several agencies were probably looking for her father, he had managed to put himself into a very dangerous situation. The Amad family was not to be messed with. Involuntarily her mind casted back to ten years ago. Director Graham had said he'd arrested her father for his own protection. She hadn't believed him at the time, but now she understood. The irony wasn't lost on her that her dad and Chuck were in somewhat similar positions. Both would be safer locked away, but she'd prefer it if their freedom were not taken from them and she was sure they'd prefer it that way too.

She parked in front of the Orange Orange just as Chuck and Casey walked up to the door. Flinging the shop keys to Casey, she indicated that he should go ahead. With a grunt and an eye roll Casey unlocked the door and flicked the light switch before making his way towards Castle's entrance.

Chuck greeted her with a smile, which she wanted to return so desperately, but instead she schooled her features. "We have visual out here, but no audio," she explained quickly. Luckily Chuck was standing with his back to the camera as his face was normally an open book. "But just so you know, I really wanna kiss you right now."

"You should not have told me that." His smile belied his protest. "I missed you this morning."

Sarah's masked slipped a little and she gave him a shy smile. "Me too." Before she could add anything else, Chuck's phone beeped.

"Two minute warning. We better get inside."

"Yeah, but before we do, you need to know that things with my dad got a little complicated." Chuck shot her a questioning look. "I wish I had time to explain, but I'm afraid you'll have to hear about it in the briefing."

"I understand. Are you okay?"

"Ask me that in an hour."

* * *

They made it downstairs just in time. As they were taking their regular positions in front of the monitor, it came to life and Beckman's face appeared on screen. She reported that Ty Bennett had cooperated and supplied them with a list of the agents he had turned. Most had been apprehended, and further arrests were expected soon. That had concluded Team Bartowski's involvement in the mission. She enquired whether Chuck had flashed on anything significant in the past twenty four hours. Casey responded in the negative and the general turned to Sarah. She omitted the fact that Chuck had flashed the night before as it was irrelevant, but she knew she had to come clean about the information she'd obtained from her dad.

"General, in the spirit of full disclosure, my father has conned Sheik Rajiv Amad out of nearly a million dollars." Sarah kept her expression neutral, but deep down she wondered why it felt like all she was doing to Beckman lately was confessing.

Casey whistled through his teeth. "Hit the big time."

"Give the order and I'll bring him in."

Sarah could feel Chuck's eyes on her. "What? You're gonna arrest your own father? Isn't that kind of a conflict of interest?"

"If Agent Walker's uncomfortable I'd be happy to make the arrest," Casey offered, a little too enthusiastically for Sarah's taste.

"No one is getting arrested yet. Amad's been on the CIA's terror watch list for years. He's suspected of funding terrorist regimes in Afghanistan and Kenya. We have no recent photos and he goes by many different aliases. Any information your father could provide about the sheik's financial holdings would be valuable intel."

Sarah hadn't expected General Beckman's response and she wasn't sure if it was wise getting him involved in a mission. "General, my father is unaware of my CIA career. In fact, I'm not sure he'd be all that proud."

"No one is asking you to compromise your cover, Agent Walker. Just talk to your father, take the Intersect with you…"

That was exactly what Sarah didn't want, for Chuck to get involved in her dad's schemes, which was one of the reasons she had warned Jack off earlier. She was probably going to have to disobey direct orders as well if she were to keep her father out of prison, and she didn't want Chuck in the middle of that either. Sarah tried to protest. "General, my father is…"

Beckman leaned forward, giving Sarah a stern look. "Your father conned a very connected, very dangerous man. You better find out how deep he's in before the sheik does." As per usual, she abruptly disconnected the link, leaving no room for argument.

* * *

When lunch time rolled around, Sarah filled an extra large cup with strawberry flavored frozen yogurt and headed across the parking lot to the BuyMore. She hadn't spoken to Chuck after the briefing as Casey had escorted him unceremoniously back to work. The doors slid open and Sarah's eyes searched the floor for her nerd. Not seeing him, she proceeded down the aisle. She sensed rather than saw Lester slithering up to her.

"Word on the street is…" he paused to flick his greasy fringe out of his eyes, "… you're the village bicycle and Charles is taking it for a ride." He tried to wink, but ended up blinking both eyes. He shook it off and cleared his throat.

"I have no idea what that means." Sarah scanned over Lester's head for Chuck.

"A pro, community property, human trampoline …"

"That's nice. Do you know where Chuck is?"

"Look, whatever he's paying you, I can double it … you know, for sex."

Sarah focused her attention on him and raised an eyebrow. "Is that right?" Lester nodded. "That's really generous of you, Larry," Sarah responded, keeping her voice even, "but as I recall, the last time I offered, you ran for the hills."

"Duty called, but I'm free now." He didn't bother to correct her on his name.

"No, you're not," Chuck interrupted as he stepped up behind Sarah, placing a hand possessively on her hip. "Isn't it your turn to man The Hole?"

"What's the matter, Charles? Afraid of a little competition?"

Sarah felt Chuck tense but his voice was calm. "Not at all."

"Then why don't you put your money where your mouth is?"

Sarah could feel Chuck's chest rise against her back as he took a deep breath. "Lester, let me show you something. Hey, Sarah," she turned her head and Chuck captured her mouth in a short, intense kiss that left her breathless. He lifted his head, gave her a small smile and then turned his gaze back to Lester. "They don't kiss on the lips. Go spread _that_ on the street." Without waiting for a retort, Chuck grabbed Sarah's hand and led her to the back of the store.

"Okay, what was that about?" she asked as Chuck pulled out a chair for her in the empty break room.

"I guess Emmett has been spreading rumors," Chuck answered and retrieved a container from the fridge. He popped it into the microwave. "Can't we put that guy on a hit list or something?"

"Crimen Iniuria is not a matter of national security, so no, but I was actually referring to the 'kiss on the lips' thing." A blush crept up Chuck's neck as he searched through the drawer for cutlery. Sarah's eyes narrowed. "Chuck, is there something you need to tell me?" Nothing of the sort had shown up in his file, no weird phone calls or credit card charges, but she wouldn't put it past Captain Awesome to try and solve a problem in that particular way, though Ellie would probably have put a stop to it is she found out.

"Yes," Chuck confessed as he brought his lunch over to the table and handed her a fork. He pulled a chair around and sat down next to her. He couldn't meet her eyes. "I like Pretty Woman."

Sarah frowned. She did not like where this was going. "What do you mean, you like pretty women?"

"Pretty Wo-_man_. You know, the movie? Julia Roberts, Richard Gere? Wait," his gaze turned back to her, "you've never seen it?" He looked at her like she'd grown another head.

"No," Sarah responded tentatively, relieved that her assumption was wrong, but still not sure where he was going with this. "What does that have to with…?"

"Julia Roberts plays a prostitute who has this rule about not kissing clients on the mouth," Chuck explained. "Next movie night, we're definitely watching that one."

"So by kissing me you proved to Lester that I'm not a prostitute?"

"Well, I figured I could break his nose, or sneak in a kiss," he shrugged, pushing his lunch tin closer to Sarah. "And we have a cover to sell." She didn't miss the twinkle in his eye.

"Good choice, violence never solves anything," Sarah replied, taking a bite of lasagna and giving him a sly smile. Chuck's fork stopped in midair.

"This from my kickass ninja girlfriend?" he whispered, shaking his head. "I don't think I'll ever understand you."

Sarah swallowed her food before speaking. "Good, I like to keep you on your toes."

"And speaking of toes, how are we going to handle your dad?"

"We're having dinner tonight so he can meet my boyfriend. Properly this time." Though it was technically a mission, Sarah couldn't help but be nervous. It wouldn't be easy pulling one over on her father – he was already suspicious as it was. Plus she'd never 'brought a guy home' before.

Chuck choked a little. "I was kinda hoping it would be a while before I had to do that. You know, have some time to get a haircut, start going by Irving so he wouldn't realize it was me acting like a creepy stalker..."

"You'll do fine, Chuck. Just be yourself." She gave him a shoulder bump and reloaded her fork. Hopefully his charm would be the undoing of more than one Burton.

"Yeah, because being myself worked so well last night."

Sarah ignored his comment as there was something more urgent she had to discuss with him. Better he found out from her. "Chuck, listen, my dad's probably going to tell some stories tonight…you know…from my childhood…"

"I could always cover my ears and hum," Chuck offered, earning himself a lopsided smile. Then her face sobered again.

"Chuck, when I was a younger, I helped him … with the cons. I was my father's partner, so essentially, I was a criminal before the CIA…" she drifted off, her eyes on her thumbnail tracing a groove in the table. Chuck was quiet for a while. Then his chair scraped against the linoleum floor and Sarah glanced up at him.

"I think you meant juvenile. Only adults can be criminals." She couldn't discern what he was thinking, but he didn't leave her guessing. "Sarah, look, from what I've seen, you are a good person." He held up a hand when she wanted to protest. "And given your dedicated service to this country, I would guess that any debt you had to society has been repaid, probably twice over."

"Chuck…"

"Plus you were just a kid, Sarah. Did you really have other options?" Sarah caught her bottom lip between her teeth and shook her head slightly. Chuck raised his shoulders. "So what's the problem?" She didn't know what to say, so after a beat, Chuck continued. "Look, I know what it's like to be haunted by your past, but after I saw that recording of Bryce, and Jill told me the truth, I finally realized that I've wasted five years of my life stuck in this place. Believe me, it's not worth it. You can't change what happened, Sarah, but you can forgive yourself and move on."

"It's really that simple?" She eyed him skeptically.

"Why not?" He pushed the now empty lunch tin away and reached for the yogurt, feeding Sarah a spoonful before taking a bite himself. "Our lives are complicated enough as it is. Why add to it?"

Sarah propped her head up on her hand, studying his face. "You never cease to amaze me." Not for the first time she wondered how he hadn't been snatched up already. Then her mind wandered to Lou and Jill and she immediately abandoned that train of thought.

"Just trying to keep you on your toes," Chuck echoed her earlier words. "So what time do I get to meet my secret girlfriend who I pretend to be in a cover relationship with's father?" His comment earned him a Charlie horse. "Hey," he rubbed his shoulder, "what happened to 'violence doesn't solve anything'?"

* * *

After ironing out the mission details, Sarah returned to the Orange Orange. She grabbed the closest rag and started to wipe down the counter. Though she wasn't looking forward to essentially conning her own father, Chuck had managed to at least set her other fears at ease. Then something else occurred to her. She and Chuck had just shared an intimate lunch, completely oblivious to the cameras. Cursing under her breath, she abandoned the unnecessary cleaning regime and rushed down to Castle. She pulled up the surveillance and reviewed it. As she had feared, it was clearly not coming across as a 'business lunch'. Before she could type in the command to delete the file, Casey sat down next to her, grabbing the second keyboard. His sudden presence startled her, but she managed to hide it. Without a word, he retrieved an old video of a staff meeting in the break room and looped it over the current footage.

He was already halfway up the stairs when Sarah snapped out of her stupor. "Casey?"

"For backing me up with Bennett," he explained gruffly without breaking stride. "I don't like owing anyone." All Sarah could do was stare at his retreating back.

* * *

Next time on A Common Spy Problem:

"_Does your father own a shotgun?"_

A/N: And this concludes my three 'rapid' updates. This story will be back in around 5 weeks' time, as will The Wedding Gift. And if any of you still remember a fic called Inconvenient Truths (put your hand down, Nervert), it will return at around July/August. Enjoy the last few episodes of season 4 and please keep supporting #savechuck and #NotANielsenFamily on Twitter, as well as Emmy4Yvonne. Stay cool (bottom's up, Frea).


	9. Chapter 9

**A Common Spy Problem**

**A/N:** Exams are over, so I can finally concentrate on the fun stuff. I owe so many thank you's, I have no idea where to start, so in no particular order of importance, thank you to everyone who had read this story, to those who left a review and to the voters in the Awesome Awards. You are truly awesome! A big thank you to Nervert for taking time between cooking dinner and gardening to beta this and making it better.

I don't know if you are aware, but TVLine have posted a list of 12 'dream' Emmy nominees for the best female lead in a comedy series, and fans can vote. When I checked a few hours ago, Yvonne Strahovski was in the lead with nearly 20% of the vote. She's beating out the likes of Tina Fey and Edie Falco! Please visit the site and make your voices heard.

For those of you, like me, who sees a story that has been updated, but can't remember what happened in the previous chapters, I've posted a summary, since this story has been gone so long. I don't own Chuck.

* * *

Previously on A Common Spy Problem:

_A life or death shower ended between the sheets and Chuck and Sarah finally admitted that they both wanted more, even if they had to wait. With Jill still around, however, Sarah decided to push the relationship forward, but thanks to Emmett Milbarge, they never reached the BuyMore broom closet. Sarah gave Chuck pointers on dealing with Jill, but staying professional posed a problem, and General Beckman caught them kissing in Castle. Sarah admitted that she was compromised. Casey predicted a reassignment and expressed his hopes for a new partner with a different kind of lady feelings. _

_Exhausted from taking down Jill and Leader, and worried about what Beckman was going to do, Sarah enjoyed a little TLC from Chuck. Awesome acted unawesome. Sarah came up with a plan to pursue a real relationship with Chuck. Ellie freaked out over an impromptu visit from the in-laws-to-be. Emmett insinuated that Sarah was a 'working girl'. Sarah paid Roan Montgomery a visit and slipped him truth serum in an attempt to get dirt on Beckman. Instead he told her about Frost and Orion, an asset and handler who were allowed to marry. _

_Chuck was benched from the Ty Bennett mission, but got involved anyway. After a close call, Sarah told Chuck she needed him. Then Casey got benched, but he disobeyed orders. Team Bartowski took down Bennett. Sarah changed Beckman's mind about reassigning her. Beckman admitted that Sarah's feelings could be an asset to the assignment, but she had to discuss the issue with the CIA brass, and ordered Sarah to remain professional until the situation was resolved. Chuck waited for Sarah at her hotel and they made the most of their private time. Chuck tried to sneak out, failed, and was punished. _

_Sarah kept a secret from Chuck. He followed her and made an awkward first impression on his girlfriend's father. Sarah found out about her dad's shady dealings and reported it. Beckman ordered her and Chuck to find out more. Chuck put a stop to the rumors about Sarah that had been going around the BuyMore. Chuck and Sarah shared an intimate lunch in full view of the cameras. Casey destroyed the evidence._

* * *

Chapter 9

The somewhat heated discussion was about ten years overdue, yet Sarah felt she wasn't any better equipped to deal with it now than she would have been at sixteen. "He's not a schnook. He's a wonderful, caring, intelligent guy." She met her father's gaze in the mirror in an attempt to let him know that she was being serious.

"He's a class A schnook. Look, you don't wanna cut me in, no problem, but don't play me for a fool." He pulled on his jacket and straightened the lapels. "This guy has twenty-two hundred bucks to his name," he stated flatly.

Sarah spun around and felt her stomach tighten. "How do you know?"

"I lifted his ATM card last night." Jack produced the evidence from his inside pocket and Sarah grabbed it out of his hand, shooting him an accusing glare. "I wanted to check him out because I was worried about you."

"Now that you know he's broke?"

"Now I'm really worried."

Sarah had a feeling that this was not how normal father-daughter-boyfriend discussion was supposed to go. Her dad had taught her to never let her guard down, a lesson that had been reinforced by her CIA trainers, but she had and she knew the risks. She could get hurt. She was taking a chance on Chuck, and if she was given the opportunity to do it over, she would choose him again in a heartbeat. But there was no convincing her dad.

Before she could retort, Jack turned on his heel. "I'm gonna get a cab."

Sarah carefully stored her makeup away when she heard the door open and her father greet Chuck. The conversation sounded friendly enough, but she was no fool either. Her father could charm his way into, not to mention out of, any situation. Chuck possessed the same quality, though he was oblivious to it most of the time, which made him all the more sincere. Grimacing slightly, she grabbed the ATM card from the counter and rounded the room divider seconds later, just as Jack left.

"Well, I think he's warming up to me." Chuck gave her a brilliant smile which she instinctively returned.

Sarah pulled the card out from behind her back and returned it to the rightful owner. "This accidentally fell into my father's pocket."

"It's okay," Chuck played it off. "He was just being protective of you. And after the way I behaved last night, I can't say I blame him."

"Chuck, you're attributing good intentions to him because you're a good person." Though Sarah knew exactly who and what her father was, she had never judged him too harshly, but Chuck's trusting nature would make him the perfect mark and she was determined to protect him. Even from her own father if need be.

"Well, he must have done something right. You turned out pretty good." Chuck took a step towards her, his eyes sweeping over her appreciatively. "Not to mention absolutely beautiful."

Sarah beamed at the compliment. She met him halfway, her hands automatically reaching for his tie and straightening it. When she was satisfied that it was perfect, she ran her fingers down his chest and tilted her head to meet his eyes. "You look very dapper yourself." Sensing that he was not going to make a move, she reached up and brushed her lips over his. Chuck returned the kiss, but kept it chaste. Sarah pulled back and shot him a questioning look.

Chuck cleared his throat. "It's one thing for Beckman to have caught us, but if your dad…" He cleared his throat again. "Does your father own a shotgun?"

Trying to suppress her laugh, and failing miserably, Sarah took a small step back. "Are you being serious?" Judging by the look on his face, that was a stupid question.

"You are pretty proficient when it comes to handling a weapon and I'm not entirely sure who you got that from, so I'm just being cautious."

"That would be the CIA, Chuck," she gave the obvious answer, but just because she felt cheated out of the opportunity to be a little less than professional, she added "He did teach me a few tricks with throwing knives though."

"Well, there you go," he responded triumphantly.

"So you're saying I'm not worth the risk of possible impalement?" She gave him a mock pout, which he misinterpreted.

"No, no, no, I'm not saying that…not at all. You're so worth it."

"Good answer, Chuck," she smirked, picking up her purse. "C'mon, we better get going." When she walked past him, he stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"Are you sure you're okay to do this?"

"We have orders." Difficult as they may be to execute_._ She would prefer to help him get away, but she wasn't sure she could risk it. She was already on thin ice with her request to breach protocol, and if she were to leave the Agency, it was going to be on her own terms.

"I know, but…" Chuck pursed his lips and was deep in thought for a moment. "Listen, if you decide you don't want to do this, just give me a sign and I'll spill wine on myself and we get out of there."

Sarah regarded him for a moment, and then she simply smiled. "Thanks, Chuck." She reached up to kiss him. He was more receptive to her advances this time and they only became aware of their surroundings when Jack cleared his throat.

"The meter's running," he merely stated before turning back in the direction of the elevators. Sarah saw her own blush reflected in Chuck's face when she pulled the door closed.

"That's strike two," Chuck muttered under his breath.

* * *

Dinner had been eventful. As Sarah had predicted, her dad told Chuck about some of the crazy cons they had pulled over the years. Chuck was enjoying the tales more than any honest civilian should, sending the occasional grin her way which she shyly returned. Jack also taught him a few tricks of the trade. Despite Chuck's earlier reservations it seemed that her father really liked him. When the opening presented itself, Chuck casually asked about his latest scheme. It took Sarah by surprise at how easy he was pulling it off. Focusing on the mission, she reassured her dad that he could trust Chuck, and her mind started working a mile a minute when Jack started to explain. Chuck was impressed, she was downright worried. Jack was confident he wasn't going to get caught, but Sarah knew better. He was going to need a shovel to dig out of this one. Or a comfy prison cell.

Sarah snapped out of her head when she felt Chuck giving her knee a comforting squeeze. They'd accomplished their mission. She pushed her worries aside, as there was nothing she could do until she reported to Beckman in the morning. Instead she looked from Chuck to her dad and decided to make the rest of the evening about the two men in her life getting to know each other better. Though her dad would probably not be around much, she would like for them to get along.

"You think your dad bought us as a couple?" Chuck asked when she threaded her arm through his as they made their way outside to hail a cab. Jack had stayed behind to settle the bill.

"Well, you did a pretty good job selling it back in my room," Sarah teased and bumped his shoulder. Chuck went predictably red. "I would be more worried about my wallet if I were you." His hand immediately went to his jacket pocket. Sarah let out a small laugh. They reached the door just as four men entered. Chuck stopped in his tracks and she could feel him tense. He spun around, taking her with him.

"I just flashed. That's him. That's Sheik Rajiv Amad."

Sarah snapped back into agent mode and extracted her arm from Chuck's. "Stay here," she ordered.

"What do you think he wants?"

"What do you think? Lichtenstein. Too bad he doesn't exist."

She quietly approached the group from behind, paying close attention to any sudden movements. From the looks of it, her dad was trying to talk himself out of trouble. She moved into earshot.

"…then I've got to warn you, the deal's off." Jack turned his attention to Sarah, prompting her to join them. "In fact, uh, this is Mr. Lichtenstein's personal secretary right here. Miss Applebaum, may I present Sheik Rajiv Amad?"

Without missing a beat, Sarah turned to the man Chuck had identified. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Mr. Lichtenstein has been expecting you. How is tomorrow at two?" She knew it was a cheap shot, but she had to try.

"I have a better idea." She was fixed with a cold stare. "Why don't we go get him right now?" Sarah shared a pointed look with her father which didn't escape the sheik's attention, nor those of his henchmen. She felt the unmistakable shape of a gun barrel pressing into her side. "I thought so," Amad continued. "There's no Lichtenstein."

Sarah was undecided for a moment. It was one against three – she doubted that the sheik got his hands dirty – and one weapon was already drawn. She could take them, but at the risk of blowing her cover. The alternative was to let Amad lead them away and send a signal to Casey from her phone. Backup was only ten minutes away. She shared a look with her father, his concern evident, but before she could speak, there was a commotion behind her.

"Mr. Lichtenstein. Is there a Mr. Lichtenstein here?" A hotel clerk was waving a piece of paper, scanning the room.

"Yah?" Sarah turned her head in the direction of the bad German accent, her gratitude for the distraction fading quickly as her heart started pounding faster. Now she had to get both Chuck and her father out of this mess.

"You have a message." The clerk made her way across the room. Jack didn't miss the cue. He led the group over to where Chuck was getting up from one of the chairs.

"Uh, Sheik Rajiv Amad, may I present Hans Lichtenstein."

Chuck was about to speak when Sarah cut him off. "Unfortunately, Mr. Lichtenstein only speaks German, but he'll be happy to meet you tomorrow at his office. Two o'clock?" Sarah gave Amad a smug smile, all the while hoping he would fall for the charade.

"Okay," he conceded, "but if I don't get my building, he's a dead man. Translate that." Sarah glanced at Chuck, relieved that he didn't appear as freaked out as he probably was.

Once the sheik and his associates had left, Jack stepped closer, looking oddly proud. "I knew you two were on the grift. You can't put one past your old man."

* * *

The ride home was relatively quiet. They arrived at Sarah's hotel shortly before eleven and she insisted that her father stay with her as Sheik Amad had tracked down the hotel he was booked in. She closed the door behind them.

"Dad, would you excuse me and Chuck for a moment?" Jack nodded and Sarah indicated in the direction of the bathroom, waiting for Chuck to turn before following. She barely had them sealed in when Chuck started.

"I know. I know I should have kept out of it and stayed put like you said, but he had a gun on you, Sarah, and you can't honestly expect me to stand by and watch…" the rest of his sentence was cut off when Sarah grabbed his face and attacked his lips. The kiss was short and intense and they pulled apart slowly.

"Thank you." A smile spread over Chuck's face, but stopped halfway when she continued. "That being said, you should not have gotten involved. Chuck, this is dangerous and my job is to keep you out of trouble, not put you in the middle of it. Beckman is going to have a fit."

"Hey, you couldn't possibly have known that the bad guys were going to show up." He cocked his head to the side. "Though, given our track record on dates…"

"Chuck, which part of 'if I don't get my building, he's a dead man' didn't you understand? These guys mean business."

"Yeah, but they're messing with the CIA now. We know what Amad looks like. We can pull the security cameras from the hotel, Beckman will have them arrested and he won't be able to get to any of us. Mission accomplished." He ran a comforting hand down her arm, pulling her closer at the same time. "Stop worrying."

That was easier said than done, but Sarah realized Chuck had a point. If they moved quickly, Amad would be in custody before the set meeting. Then she would only have to figure out the best exit strategy for her dad without compromising the CIA's decision regarding sanctioning a personal relationship with Chuck.

"So, do you think your dad likes me?" His question brought her back to the present and she smiled.

"I think so." She ran her hand up his chest, loosening his tie. "Though I don't know why you were nervous. From what I can tell, everyone who meets you likes you." Her hands locked behind his neck, pulling his head down to hers.

"I'm flattered that you think that," Chuck responded somewhat shyly, "but if I'm to keep my perfect record intact, we better get out of here. You and me and bathrooms…" he cleared his throat, "things happen…"

"I could send my dad out for some rocky road," Sarah suggested as Chuck's arms tightened around her waist, despite his protest. She knew it went against what she'd agreed with Beckman a few days ago, but technically Chuck was sanctioned to spent time with her, well, and her father, so who could fault her for trying to take a little advantage?

"Rocky road, huh? Somehow I pictured you for something simpler, like chocolate, or vanilla."

Sarah deflated a little. "Chuck, is that really what you want to be focusing on right now? I would have thought that you had learned more than enough about me for one night." She avoided his eyes, fixing her attention on undoing the top button of his shirt. Her movements stilled when Chuck placed his hand over hers.

"It wasn't always fun for you, was it?"

She kept her eyes on his Adam's apple, raising one shoulder slightly. "My dad was happy."

"That's not what I asked, Sarah." Her gaze traveled up to meet his. "But I guess I should have expected the answer." He reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's the first thing I learnt about you," Chuck continued when she simply stared at him, "that you're selfless. That night I spent on the beach, thinking about what this all meant…having the Intersect…I realized that Casey was right – it would have been easier to throw me in a bunker. But you fought for me. I was just a mark you had one cover date with and yet you were willing to give up a life of excitement…traveling across the globe, sipping mai tais, so I could stay with my family and friends."

The conversation was heading in a direction that made Sarah uneasy. She wasn't comfortable when the attention was on her, even if it was just the two of them, so she diverted. "You heard that, huh?"

"The two of you weren't exactly subtle, even when you didn't have guns drawn on each other…or me." Sarah answered his smile with one of her own, remembering the fight that had followed a couple of days later in the Wienerlicious. She had kicked Casey's ass. Oblivious to her thoughts, Chuck continued. "That was so not how I expected our date to end."

"Yeah, we really need to work on that part." Extracting her hand from under his, she took a small step back. The thought of how a date should end, combined with how sweet Chuck was being, was edging her to the brink of losing her self-control and she needed some distance. Aware that her dad was on the other side of the door, she knew they had to wrap this up before he got the wrong idea. "My phone is in the other room, so may I please borrow yours?"

Chuck looked perplexed for a moment, but handed it over.

"Casey will come fetch you," she explained while texting. "I need to handle my dad, so please stay close to him until we talk to Beckman in the morning and get this resolved."

"Is that a new way to tell me to stay in the car?"

"I'm asking you to stay safe, Chuck." She slipped his phone into the inside pocket of his jacket and propped herself up on her toes to brush her lips over his cheek. "You'll do that for me, won't you?" His power of speech stolen by her close proximity, Chuck merely nodded.

"Okay, good," she smiled at him before reaching for the door handle.

"Sarah, wait." She turned and shot him a questioning look, but he didn't continue. Instead, his arm clamped around her waist and with a hand curled around the nape of her neck, he pulled her against him. The first touch of his lips to hers was soft, as if asking for permission. Sarah responded instinctively, nipping at his bottom lip, urging him on. They broke apart briefly before Chuck caught her mouth again, more firmly this time. His tongue inched forward, seeking out hers. The kiss sent a slow surge of warmth through her body. She bit back a moan and tightened her grip on his shoulders. They're lips moved in sync a few more times before Chuck slowed the pace and retreated gradually. Sarah forced her eyes open, her mouth still agape in an attempt to draw enough air into her lungs. Chuck raised his hand, his thumb tracing her swollen lips. "That's how you end a date."

* * *

Sarah's first order of business was to pre-empt the General's scolding and apologize for getting Chuck involved in her father's ridiculous con. She didn't protest when Casey suggested putting Chuck in protective lockdown until the threat was neutralized. Though she was not looking forward to spending a couple of days without him, it was best that he would be out of harm's way. It took her by surprise when General Beckman disagreed. It took Sarah several seconds to realize that not only would Chuck be used as bait in order to access the Sheik's accounts, but her father, who was unaware of her career, would effectively be running a CIA op. One that was as close to impossible as missions go, pulling off the 'sale' of a sixty story building in a day, and without any backup from the Agency, as they couldn't condone committing fraud.

Sarah almost snarled when the screen went black. She was trying to get used to living a life in which she didn't have to lie to the people closest to her, bar keeping the real nature of her job from her father, and now she had to pull off the biggest lie of her life. Her father trusted her and she was ordered to use that against him. The night before she did so to get the information they required, but this situation was totally different. If they pulled this scheme off, he might very well prosecute him for a crime he had no intention of committing. Jack Burton was far from an innocent civilian, but it was the principle that mattered. Not for the first time in the past couple of days, Sarah felt like a hypocrite. She had no problem in the past with the Agency's practice to burn assets, but damn it, this was her dad.

* * *

**A/N:** No teaser today, I'm afraid, but keep an eye on Twitter, I may post a spoiler or two. See you soon.


	10. Chapter 10

**A Common Spy Problem**

**A/N: **Sometimes a chapter just kicks your butt, and when life and an auditor join the party, it's three times the fun, but here it is, finally. Thank you for your patience guys, I hope the double teaser makes up for it. The good news is that the next chapter is almost done. You can find status updates for all my stories on my bio page.

Thanks to Nervert who took time from his holiday to beta this, he goes above and beyond. I've fiddled a little, so any mistakes that might have slipped through are mine.

Again a big thank you to every reader out there – this would have been a one-shot without your support. I'm also extremely grateful for all the reviews, not only because I feel the love, but they also help in terms of giving the story direction and sparking ideas. A while back I promised everyone replies and I've done quite a lot, but if I've missed someone, especially from the earlier chapters, please let me know.

I don't own Chuck.

* * *

Chapter 10

Sarah had a blast. She had almost forgotten what it was like, working with her father, the thrill of manipulating a mark, of being in control. But of course, after the money had been counted and the rocky road had digested, remorse would set in. And a few weeks later, the cycle would be repeated. She'd learned from an early age to compartmentalize, to focus on the task at hand and to not think about the consequences until she actually had to face them. The CIA was the same, and yet, the CIA was different.

The guilt only came once she bent down to retrieve the empty ice bucket. As far as her father was concerned, her conscience was clean. She was going to help him escape once they had completed the mission. After the stunt she had pulled to convince him to go through with the con, she owed him that much. But he had taken the decision out of her hands. Now she had to face Chuck, Casey and her superiors and explain to them that they were the marks.

And then the anger set in. _She_ was a mark. Her father had let her down many times in her life, but he had never outright betrayed her like this.

* * *

Sarah was down in Castle, working on her tangle of emotions with the help of a heavy bag.

Chuck had showed up first thing in the morning, armed with chocolate croissants and some unexpected wisdom. His attempt at consolation had some success in showing her that what had happened with her father was not her fault. Surprisingly, it also revealed that, despite being so open, Chuck kept hidden those things closest to his heart. It meant a lot that he had shared that part of himself with her, and for the first time, she realized where he was coming from every time he'd ask her about her past.

Her thoughts were interrupted when her phone rang. She delivered a final high kick before answering. She was both relieved and furious when she heard her father's voice, but that was replaced with concern when Amad was suddenly on the end of the line. She returned his threat with one of her own while trying to locate the phone's signal. The call was ended before she could trace it, but he had given her a time and location. She had that at least. What she didn't have was ten million dollars.

After taking a quick shower, she changed into her mission gear, then grabbed two duffel bags from the supply closet, stuffing them with the biggest guns the armory had to offer. She added a couple of t-shirts to give the bags the correct shape. She wouldn't be able to fool Amad for long, but it would buy her some time. Knowing she would probably be outnumbered she decided against calling Casey. She had compromised the team enough. This was her score to settle. Her mind drifted to Chuck, giving her pause. She wondered if she should leave him a note or something. What if… Before she could finish the thought, he was there, rushing down the stairs.

"Hey, hey, Sarah. Look, I hope this isn't a mistake and the CIA has decided to compensate me for my numerous acts of heroism, but there happens to be an extra, oh, I don't know, ten million dollars in my ATM account." He managed to get it all out in one breath, clearly on the verge of freaking out.

"What? Why would my father put the sheik's money in your account?" Of everything that had gone down in the past few days, that had made the least sense.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, again, we're not so sure that this is coming from your father. I'm still clinging to the compensation theory."

Sarah quickly considered her options. "Leave it there." Amad wouldn't just let them go, even if he did get his money back and she was not about to let a terrorist get away with everything.

"You know, that's not a bad idea. It should earn a couple of thousand a day in interest." Then he noticed the bags. "What are you doing? Where are you going?" His enthusiasm over coming into some unexpected cash was suddenly gone.

"It's…"

"Don't even say personal," Chuck interrupted. "What's going on?"

Sarah didn't have the time to dodge his questions, so she decided to shoot straight. "Amad has my dad and if I don't bring him his money…"

"But you don't have his money…" he realized the implications of what she was saying and his eyes grew wide, "…oh, no, no, no, no. Don't even think about it."

"He is going to kill my dad, Chuck. I have to do something." She fixed her attention on zipping up the bags, feigning a calm she didn't feel.

"I agree, but what exactly? You're going in guns blazing and hope to take out a couple of terrorists before they kill you? Both of you?"

"I'll come up with something. Just stay here and if I'm not back by eight…" Their eyes met as the unspoken words hung in the air. It was more than she could take. "I will be back at around eight." Determined not to make herself a liar, she shouldered both bags.

"I'm going with you."

"No, you're not." She tried to sidestep him, but he blocked her way, grabbing hold of her shoulders.

"I have a plan, Sarah. Look, just meet me out front in five minutes. We'll need Casey and a laptop. I'll explain the rest on the way." Without giving her time to argue, he turned on his heel, taking the stairs two at a time. Halfway up, he stopped. "And if you leave without me, I will follow you."

He didn't have to make it sound like a threat for her to know that he would. "Okay, but hurry," she conceded. At least she had grabbed an extra pair of handcuffs. "I'll wait for you by the…" then she remembered something. "Shit, my car is in for a service."

"No problem. I'll get Casey, a laptop and a Herder. Five minutes."

* * *

Sarah watched anxiously as the scenery crawled by. "This is ridiculous. Maybe if you let me drive…"

"It's the car, honey, not me. Don't worry, we'll make it." He glanced in the rearview mirror. "I just wish Casey would stop tailgating us."

Sarah tried her best not to fiddle. She never knew what to do with her hands when she wasn't the one driving. In an effort to distract herself, she reached for one of the duffle bags on the back seat of the Delorean and retrieved a small handgun which she held out to Chuck. She had wanted to cuff him to the steering wheel to ensure he stayed in the car, or at least near it, but as Chuck had pointed out when he had filled her in on the plan, Amad thought the three of them were in on the scheme; if one member of the team didn't show at the drop, he might get suspicious. Chuck's plan could work, but she considered anything that involved him and weapons in the same vicinity, risky. She didn't want to take any chances, even if they had the element of surprise in Cop Face.

"Stick this in the back of your pants. Make sure it's easy to reach."

"Sarah," Chuck's eyes darted between hers, the weapon and the road. "I don't know how to handle a gun and I can't shoot at another person."

"It's a tranq pistol," Sarah explained patiently. "Just aim and fire, like you do in that game you and Morgan always play."

"Duck Hunt?" Chuck asked as he hesitantly took it from her. He leaned forward and Sarah lifted the back of his shirt so he could tuck the gun away as she had instructed. He straightened and shifted in his seat. "That is strangely…uncomfortable."

Ignoring his comment, Sarah turned to face him, her expression serious. "Chuck, if there is shooting, you have to take cover. Get behind the nearest wall or car, or me. And only use the gun if you're cornered. Are we clear?"

Shooting her a sideways glance, he nodded. "Yeah, but I really hope there's no shooting."

"Me too," Sarah replied, despite the tightening knot it her gut.

* * *

Amad and one of his associates were waiting when the Delorean noisily rolled to a halt.

"Sorry I can't open the door for you," Chuck whispered as they got out. Sarah shot him a small smile before a stoic mask slipped over her features.

They were halfway across the parking lot when Amad spoke. "That's close enough." Sarah stopped and Chuck followed her lead. "You have something for me?" Chuck started to pull out the laptop from its case, but Sarah stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"Where's my father?" she asked Amad.

Amad turned around, barking an order in Arabic. Jack got out of the car, cuffed and at gunpoint. Sarah's anger intensified when she noticed the bruises on her father's face, but she resisted the urge to reach for her own weapon. Based on her quick recon, one henchman was unaccounted for, which meant they had a sniper trained on them, probably at their six o'clock. She was not about to start a shootout they couldn't possibly win. Instead she gave Chuck a small nod. He opened the laptop, propping it onto his arms while keeping it steady with his free hand.

"I have your money right here. I can wire it to you right now."

Amad took a step closer, eyeing them skeptically. With a nod of his head, the first gunman raised his weapon, training the barrel inches from Sarah's forehead. "If you're lying," he threatened, "I will put a bullet in her head." She didn't flinch, but Chuck's voice started to waver.

"All I need is your account number. Please. We're just a couple of bad conmen who got in way too deep. All we wanna do is give you your money back. Take it and let us go."

After a moment's hesitation, Amad lifted his hands and typed in his account number. Out of the corner of her eye Sarah could see the green bar ran across the screen. The computer gave a faint ping to indicate that the transaction had been completed.

"There, you have your money," Chuck gave the code phrase.

"Pleasure doing business," Amad smirked. "Now kill them," he ordered.

"What?" Before Chuck could freak out, a siren wailed behind them. Sarah used the distraction to slap the gun out of her face with her right hand while simultaneously shoving Chuck to the ground with her left.

"Take cover!" she ordered, and to her relief, he listened and crawled in behind the Crown Vic. In one swift movement, she had her own weapon drawn, aiming it straight at Amad. "Drop it!"

Casey had spotted the sniper. "Don't even think about it," he growled.

"You're outnumbered," Amad spoke directly to Sarah, "you shoot me, they shoot you…"

"And our snipers shoot them," Casey remarked. "That's a whole lot of unnecessary bloodshed."

Amad's eyes narrowed. "You're bluffing."

"Only one way to find out." Casey cocked his gun. Sarah did the same, tightening her grip slightly. This was not part of the plan.

Both gunmen on the ground bought the charade, slowly put their guns down and kicked them away. Jack gave a step forward, but Amad suddenly jumped to his left, grabbing his arm and pulling his own gun, pointing it at Jack's head. "You lower your weapons," he demanded as he moved in behind Jack to use him as a shield, "or I will kill your father."

The standoff lasted several seconds. Sarah knew she could take the shot, but she also knew she wouldn't. Her eyes met her father's and he gave her a slight nod. She had worked with him enough times to know what he wanted her to do. Shifting her aim, making sure she'd miss the bone and major artery, she squeezed the trigger. Jack went down.

"If I did that to him, imagine what I'll do to you." Despite her rapid heartbeat, her voice could cut steel. "Drop your weapon," she demanded again.

Amad lifted his hands in surrender, loosening his grip on the gun. Sarah took a step forward, but stopped when she heard a swooshing noise and then a body hitting the ground. With her attention briefly fixed on the henchmen that lay sprawled across the asphalt, Amad took off and jumped into the Delorean.

"Amad's getting away!" Casey looked undecided for a moment, but then kept his gun on the sniper.

"Not at twenty-two miles an hour, he's not," Chuck deadpanned as he got up from behind Casey's car, the tranq pistol in his hand. Sarah took it from him and unceremoniously fired two darts at the man still standing. Realizing that the odds were no longer in his favor, the sniper threw his riffle down and locked his fingers behind his head.

"All clear," Sarah confirmed and tucked her gun into the back of her pants as she rushed to her father.

"You didn't use blanks?" Jack grunted. "What's wrong with you people?"

"It's just a flesh wound," she assured him and helped him to his feet. Within seconds Chuck was by her side. Turning her attention away from her father, she asked "Shouldn't you call the cops about the car?" It might be a piece of junk, but she suspected Morgan did not see it that way.

"And tell them what? I want to report a stolen Delorean, license plate D-E-M-O-R-G-A-N? They'll laugh at me." Jack snorted, but it turned into another pain filled groan and Sarah applied a little more pressure to his shoulder. Chuck flanked Jack on his other side, ready to support him if need be as they made their way to the car. "I'm sorry I made her watch Speed." At that, Jack raised an eyebrow, but instead of explaining, Sarah just gave Chuck a wink.

Casey had rounded up the men Amad had left behind and had them tied together in a neat pile. He joined the group and grunted when he saw Jack's shoulder.

"Nice going, Walker, now he's gonna bleed all over my car."

* * *

Sarah redressed the wound she had sutured the night before and dropped the scissors back into the first aid kit. Jack inspected her handiwork. "Impressive. Where did you learn to do that?" He hadn't asked when she had tended to him the first time, as he was hopped up on painkillers.

"I've picked up a thing or two over the past few years," she responded vaguely and handed him the sling. Making sure everything was correctly organized, she closed the kit and slid it back into the closet. "I have an errand to run, but it won't take long. Can I get you anything while I'm out?"

"I'm good," Jack responded, testing his range of movement. Satisfied that there was no permanent damage, he caught Sarah's eyes and he cleared his throat. "Darlin', listen, I'm…"

"It's okay, Dad," she broke the silence that followed. They were never good at expressing their feelings. Hers always became apparent through her actions, his via short notes left behind.

After getting his assurance that he'd be there when she got back, and almost believing him, she headed to Castle for the debrief. It went as expected. General Beckman informed her that a team would pick up her father later that afternoon. She even sympathized, but what Sarah didn't see coming was Casey pleading her father's case. The scales were swinging and she was becoming more indebted to him by the day.

With a heavy heart, she re-entered her hotel a couple of hours later. Her father had stayed put, but he'd used the opportunity to pack. She ordered up a late lunch and they ate in silence. Her eyes kept turning to the alarm clock mounted on the wall. When Jack finally got up and gathered his things, she had around five minutes left to stall him…if she wanted to.

Jack Burton might not be the best father in the world, but he was still her father. Eighteen months ago she would have placed her loyalty to the CIA above that bond, but things had changed. She had changed.

When he draped his jacket over his arm, she got up. "Uh, Dad, can you get me some rocky road? There's a store around the corner."

"Sure thing, darling," he responded, the smile on his face evident that he was recalling old times.

Sarah noticed that another minute had ticked by. She knew that when he walked out the door, it would be a while before she'd see him again. The thought saddened her. In the past, he would just leave. There was no saying goodbye, no opportunity for a last hug or sentiment, but realizing that it was different this time, she had to ask.

"Why did you put the money in Chuck's account?"

"I needed to put it somewhere because I didn't trust Cop Face." It wasn't the exact response she was looking for, and though she could read between the lines what he had meant, she wanted to hear him say it. It was important.

"But you trusted Chuck?"

"I read people. It's the only real talent I got. One thing I know, that kid would never betray you. I made a ten million dollar bet that he loved you. Turns out I was right." Jack shrugged, but Sarah recognized the significance of what he'd said. He didn't trust easily, if at all, and though she already knew she could count on Chuck for just about anything, getting confirmation from her father was like a signed guarantee that she had made the right choice, putting everything on the line for Chuck.

When she acknowledged his statement with a quiet smile, Jack took it as his cue to leave. "I'll be back in a minute."

Knowing he wouldn't be, Sarah called him back one last time. "Uh, Dad? Can you make it a double scoop?"

"Sure, darling." He gave her a small wink before closing the door. Sarah stood rooted to the spot, letting out the sigh she'd been holding.

"In a while, crocodile," she whispered to the empty room.

* * *

The chilly November air nipped at her bare arms as she sent the police squad in a random direction, explaining that her father had just left. There was a slight commotion as the uniformed officers scrambled back into their patrol cars, but she barely noticed. A white shirt and grey tie were obstructing her view. Chuck didn't speak. Instead he shrugged out of his jacket and wrapped her in it. She pulled it tighter, seeking comfort in the smell that was so uniquely Chuck. With an arm around her shoulders, he pulled her in close as he led her back to her room.

Once inside, they turned to each other and Chuck's free arm circled her waist. "Tell me what you need," he whispered into her hair. His words threatened to release all the emotions she'd been trying very hard to keep under control, but she wasn't ready to let him see the worst of her just yet. Instead, she repeated her request for ice cream and Chuck was happy to oblige.

As he released her she attempted to give his jacket back, but his hands returned to her shoulders. "Keep it."

"I can grab one of my own…" she started to explain, but Chuck interrupted.

"No, I mean…keep it. I know strictly speaking it's not a letterman and it says BuyMore on it…" Sarah finally caught on.

"That's very sweet, Chuck…and not in a 'you're eight' kind of way," she quickly added, reaching up to thank him properly. "I'll wear it proudly."

Still dazed from the kiss, he shot her a smile before taking off.

She covered the small distance to the window, her fingers brushing against the cool glass as she watched Chuck make his way across the parking lot, knowing that no matter what, he would always come back to her.

* * *

_**Next time on A Common Spy Problem:**_

"_Guess the excitement was too much for him," Chuck deadpanned as Awesome finally came around._

"_The English Patient is a classic," Ellie shot back. _

"_Yeah, classically boring."_

…

"_I don't see how waking me at six thirty is supposed to…" she trailed off when his eyebrows started to dance up and down, making her stomach flutter. "Oh."_

"_Yes, oh," Chuck grinned and dove in for a kiss that ended far too soon._


	11. Chapter 11

**A Common Spy Problem**

**A/N: **Stuff you should know:

1. This is The Twist – yes, I'm following canon, and no, no episodes will be 'dropped', but in order for my storyline to work, I had to rearrange an episode. Trust me.

2.  Nervert is still beta'ing this, patiently helping with my tenses, correcting some word choices and smoothing out the flow. He has a lot of creative ideas too. And he also won the comma war – I now believe that it's okay to use one before the word 'and'. As always, he hasn't seen the rewrite, so any mistakes are due to my changes, or stubbornness.

3. If you have a Facebook profile, you can visit the "DogBlessYou" page and click on the Like button. For every 5,000 likes, 1 therapy dog will be donated to a war veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

4. I don't own Chuck.

* * *

Chapter 11

It had been a quiet week on the mission front. Sarah had used the time to make a dent in her paperwork while Chuck had picked up a couple of extra shifts at the BuyMore to make up for all the hours he'd missed. It wasn't really necessary, as he was by far the most productive nerd of the herd, with the possible exception of Skip Johnson, but Sarah knew that his conscience had been bugging him, so she didn't say anything about it.

Between them, things were awkward. Their lunch dates had continued as usual, but always in the presence of the others, and Chuck still walked her to her car at the end of each day, sending her off with a quick peck and a 'drive safe'. Aside from that, they hadn't spent any time together in five days due to Chuck being on call every night. They had decided it was for the best, as Beckman had yet to raise the issue of a sanctioned relationship and Sarah was still under strict orders to act professional. Friday night, however, was a different story as this was family movie night and there was no way Ellie would let them get out it.

Sarah had mixed feelings as she sped along the highway towards Echo Park. She looked forward to spending time with Chuck. She missed him and couldn't help but wonder if it wasn't foolish on their part to keep a physical distance. Twice now they had almost spontaneously combusted when they were together and separation could make it worse. What if they slipped again? Frustrated, she slammed a palm into the steering wheel. She wished Beckman and the CIA would make their minds up already.

As she pulled up to the curb, Sarah took a calming breath. They could do this. They could convince Devon and Ellie they were a happy couple, because they actually were, and pretend for the cameras that they weren't 'too happy'.

Sarah burrowed deeper into her jacket as she made her way across the courtyard. It was an unusually cold night, even for winter. Before she could lift her hand to knock, the door swung open. Chuck smiled at her and she smiled back. Noticing Devon in the background, Sarah tilted her head slightly. Taking his cue, Chuck leaned closer, framed her face with one hand and kissed her. It lasted only a few seconds, but his thumb brushed lightly across her cheek, letting her know that it had nothing to do with selling a cover. When he raised his head, she shot him a wistful smile. He grabbed her hand and pulled her all the way into the apartment.

"Sarah, you're freezing."

"Just my hands," she shrugged, "I didn't think there'd ever be a need for gloves in LA."

"Well, this should help." Devon gave her a one-arm hug before handing her a large mug. She wrapped both hands around it and reveled in the warmth that spread through her fingers. Chuck rubbed her upper arms for good measure and led her further into the living room.

"Hey, Sarah," Ellie greeted as she emerged from the kitchen carrying a stack of plates.

"Hi," Sarah replied, raising her mug and an eyebrow slightly. "Hot chocolate before dinner?"

"Blame the weather." Ellie deposited the plates next to the pizza boxes on the coffee table. That was new too. They normally ate at the dining room table. "Tonight it's blankets and laps. I hope you don't mind?"

"Of course not," Sarah responded automatically, her eyes falling on the folded blankets lying on the couch. There were only two. We can do this, she reminded herself again, and then wished she knew more about baseball statistics.

An hour into the movie, Sarah dropped her head onto Chuck's shoulder. Ellie and Devon were curled up on the nearby chair, leaving them on the couch, or at least, on one side of it. The combination of a full belly, being snuggled up next to Chuck all warm and cozy, and their fingers idly stroking the other's out of sight of both the company and surveillance, was making her drowsy. She closed her eyes for a moment, but they shot open again when Chuck's hand left hers and was suddenly inside her shirt, splayed across her bare stomach. She grabbed his thigh and gave it a squeeze as sparks shot all the way down to her toes. Shifting her head slightly, she whispered only loud enough for him to hear. "Please don't start something we can't finish."

"I can't stop thinking about you," he confessed in the same tone, so when he began to extract his hand, her free one covered his, keeping it in place.

"Okay," she agreed, "not yet." Chuck responded by pressing his lips briefly to her forehead before turning his eyes back to the screen. Past him, she noticed Ellie's smile spread even though she wasn't looking directly at them. Sarah was fairly certain Ellie couldn't hear the exchange over the TV, but she could imagine what it had looked like. She would have blushed, had it not been for the fact that Ellie's reaction just validated their 'cover'.

By the time the credits started to roll, Sarah's face was completely nuzzled into Chuck's neck and his hand had remained where it was, his thumb drawing lazy patterns across her skin. She wished they could stay like that forever, but then Ellie broke the moment when she yawned rather loudly.

"And that's our cue to get to bed," Chuck teased, earning him a throw pillow to the side of his head.

"Who gets the bathroom first?" Ellie ignored his fake pout and shook Devon awake.

"Guess the excitement was too much for him," Chuck deadpanned as Awesome finally came around.

"The English Patient is a classic," Ellie shot back.

"Yeah, classically boring."

Sarah had to side with Chuck on this one, not that she had paid much attention to the movie, but she didn't want to hurt Ellie's feelings. "Why don't you two go ahead? The bathroom, I mean," she intervened.

Ellie gave Chuck a playful slap as she and Devon rounded the couch. "Thanks, Sarah. Good night, guys." Devon added a sleepy grumble as he followed his fiancé down the hall.

"Good night," Chuck and Sarah spoke over each other. When they were out of sight, Sarah inched away from Chuck and stretched before getting up to hunt for her shoes.

"I better get going."

"Stay," he responded immediately.

"Chuck…" She really wanted to, which was why she knew she shouldn't. All her nerves were still tingling from their cuddle session and the thought of sleeping so close to him under the circumstances edged on torture.

"Look, it's late and I'll never hear the end of it if I let you go out in this cold." His eyes told her he also didn't want to do that, but he had the sense to keep quiet. Sarah wondered if she'd ever get used to having someone who looked out for her well-being.

"I suppose it would look suspicious if I'm not here in the morning." She briefly considered sneaking out and back before anyone woke up, but that would mean getting up at an ungodly hour and then fighting her way through traffic in her usual state of morning grumpiness. Chuck gave her an I-know-what-you're-thinking smirk, but again kept quiet as she sank back onto the couch.

* * *

After they had brushed their teeth tandem-style, as Chuck called it, he had left her to change into a pair of his pajama bottoms and an old Stanford sweatshirt. She padded down the hall in her socks, pajama bottoms rolled up to avoid tripping, and found Chuck in bed, the covers already tucked under his chin. She slipped in next to him, pulled the sheet and duvet over her shoulders and immediately searched for his hand. Once settled, she closed her eyes and drifted off.

A faint pinging noise disturbed her slumber. Sarah thought she heard Beckman calling their names, but when she peered through one eye and noticed that it was just after two, she decided it must have been a dream. Then the distinct sound of someone clearing a throat sounded in the room and she turned towards Chuck. It definitely wasn't him.

"Bartowski. Walker."

At that, Chuck suddenly bolted upright. "General! Hey. What are you…what are you…"

Sarah's brain kicked into gear when she saw the glow from the television screen and sat up too, running a hand through her disheveled hair. She wasn't even aware that DC had a direct link to Chuck's TV, but it displayed the all too familiar face of their superior. It was downright disturbing.

"I wanted a private word with you two. Pardon the intrusion." The General almost looked apologetic.

"On this moment, or our lives in general?"

"Chuck," Sarah hissed under her breath, trying to remember the exact position they were in before Beckman unceremoniously woke them up. If it was compromising, Beckman didn't mention it.

"The CIA has made their decision," she stated flatly. Sarah searched for something to say, but came up empty. She wanted to know, but surely it could have waited until morning? "I'm sorry, Sarah," Beckman continued, "but they couldn't be persuaded."

"What does that mean?" Chuck asked first.

"They wanted Agent Walker to return to Langley as soon as possible..." Both Chuck and Sarah opened their mouths to protest, but Beckman raised a hand, cutting them off. "…but I advised against it. This is a sensitive assignment and as we are not sure about the extent of Fulcrum's infiltration into the Agency, I've recommended that you be given another chance. The director agreed, provided you pass a 49-B."

"And what exactly is a 49-B?" Chuck preempted Sarah for a second time.

"Agent Walker, I'll leave it to you to explain that. Major Casey had been ordered to cut surveillance until morning as I assume you two have a lot to discuss. Agent Alexandra Forrest will meet you tomorrow morning at zero nine hundred in Castle." Beckman's finger moved to disconnect the feed and paused. She leaned forward, peering over her glasses. "Pass this test, Sarah," and with that, the screen went black.

Chuck shifted to face Sarah. "Did you know she could do that?" He waved his arm in the direction of the TV. "Remind me in future to unplug all the electronics before we…" he realized where his babbling was headed and stopped himself. "Sarah, what's a 49-B?"

Something I never thought I'd be subjected to, she wanted to say, but didn't. Instead she gave the textbook answer. "It's an agent who will assess my performance and during the evaluation period she will assume the role of your handler."

"Okay," Chuck responded tentatively, "Would she know about the Intersect?"

"No. She won't know that top secret information unless her position becomes permanent." The words echoed in Sarah's head as she spoke them. Tomorrow she would meet the woman that might replace her on this assignment. The one that could take her out of the loop.

"What do you mean permanent?"

Sarah sighed and crawled back down the bed, turning on her side. Chuck followed suit.

"You can lose your job over this," he stated when she didn't respond. Sarah knew she should have expected the outcome, it was the most likely to happen, but it still hit her hard. Despite that, she tried to set Chuck's mind at ease.

"If you had to quit your job at the BuyMore to be with me, would you?"

"In a heartbeat, but you can hardly compare the two. Your job is important, Sarah, you save countless lives on a daily basis, mine included. You can't just walk away from that. And I don't want you to choose between me and the CIA."

Sarah propped herself up on one elbow. "Chuck, you once told me you don't want a relationship where I'm off in some foreign country quelling revolutions, while you stay at home waiting…"

"I didn't mean that," he interrupted.

"I know you didn't," she assured him, "but honestly, I don't want that kind of relationship either, and I also don't want to sit by while you're off on a mission without me and wait for when and if you come home. That's the reason I'm fighting so hard to keep my position with the Agency. I want to be the one who protects you. I can't trust anyone else to do that." She couldn't bring herself to tell him that she also wanted to be in the know when the burn order came through. When they had to make a run for it.

"Sarah…" he hesitated, but she had a strong suspicion what he was thinking.

"Chuck, no. We'll find a way to make this work. Just don't…if you want to break up with me, do it for the right reasons, not because you think it's the right thing to do. It's not, so, no."

Reaching up, he pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Okay," he gave her a wistful smile, but dropped it instantly. "So I guess we need to take this one step at a time. How do we pass the 49-B?"

"We have to convince Forrest that our relationship is strictly professional and that I have you under control, so when I tell you to do something, you have to listen."

"So we're back to 'stay in the car, Chuck'." He thought for a moment. "Okay, if that's what it takes, but if you get into a sticky situation…"

"This is not a negotia…" The rest of the word got lost in Chuck's mouth. Sarah pushed against his chest and backed away slightly. "You're not going to win every argument this way."

"Who's arguing?" Chuck shrugged and leaned closer again. Sarah expected him to resume the kiss, but he stretched over her to reset the alarm.

She watched as the digits ran backwards and groaned. "Why?"

Letting out a chuckle, he dropped his arm around her waist. "I suspect we're in for a rough couple of days, so I need time to make sure you start the day in a good mood."

"I don't see how waking me at six thirty is supposed to…" she trailed off when his eyebrows started to dance up and down, making her stomach flutter. "Oh."

"Yes, oh," Chuck grinned and dove in for a kiss that ended far too soon. Sarah turned and moved back until they were spooning. Like earlier, his hand found its way under her shirt, but settled higher and more intimately this time. With a content smile, she closed her eyes, determined to handle whatever life and the CIA threw at them, because it was moments like these that made everything worth it.

* * *

Sarah fisted the sheets, her knuckles bleeding white, as Chuck swept her hair aside. His lips hovered in the crook between her shoulder and neck, his breath hot on her skin. He slid an arm around her waist to steady her then finally closed the distance, teasing the sensitive spot below her jawline before trailing soft kissed down her shoulder and back again. She shifted her weight to one arm, reaching around with the other, her hand on the back of his neck guiding him to her mouth. When their lips met, Sarah soared and he swallowed the low moan that escaped her throat. She buckled and Chuck tightened his grip to prevent her from collapsing. They broke apart for air and then Chuck finally stilled. Keeping his chest firmly pressed against her back, he gently lowered them onto the mattress and they lay tangled in the sheets and each other, desperately trying to catch their breath.

"That was…" Chuck tried to speak between pants, "It was just…"

"Wow," Sarah supplied, amazed that she could actually hear him over her still racing heartbeat. She turned in his arms and brushed her fingers along his cheek. "Good morning."

"That it is," Chuck smirked, eliciting a happy giggle from Sarah. He leaned in for another kiss, their lips barely touching when there was a knock on the Morgan door. "Go away, Morgan!" Chuck called without backing away, but Sarah did.

"Chuck, Morgan doesn't knock."

"Well, this better be good," Chuck groaned as he rolled over to his side and pulled on his pajama bottoms before sliding off the bed. He raised the blinds and opened the window slightly. Before he could say anything, she heard Casey's voice.

"Video's back up in ten minutes."

"And a good morning to you too," Chuck mumbled, letting the blinds fall back in place.

Sarah let out a small sigh as she got up to retrieve the sweatshirt from the recliner where it landed earlier and slipped back into it. Before it fell down her thighs, she noticed Chuck's eyes darting away from her hip. Without a word, he sank down onto the bed and she moved in between his legs, her hands on his shoulders. She wasn't sure how to start, but she knew she had to say something.

"Chuck, listen, please don't tell anyone. I'm not supposed to have that."

She had made a split second decision when she snuck off to the bathroom earlier to freshen up before the alarm went off, and had carefully removed the piece of latex that covered the small image of a violin wrapped in a lily. She didn't want to keep it a secret, so she had promised herself to tell him if he wanted to know, but he hadn't asked. At least he had seen it, which is more than she could say for any other man she'd been with.

"Why not?" His thumb stroked the patch of skin, now covered, in question.

"You know how many bad guys you've identified by their tattoos. It put's an Agent's cover at risk. It's just…I couldn't have it removed. I couldn't give up everything when I joined the agency."

Chuck gave her a lopsided smile. "Will you tell me what it means some day?"

"Some day?" He tilted his head in the direction of the camera and she nodded before mentally adding his question to the growing list of things she wanted to tell him.

* * *

_**Next time on A Common Spy Problem:**_

"_If they make that woman my handler, I'm throwing myself in a bunker."_


	12. Chapter 12

**A Common Spy Problem**

**A/N: **An update at last. Before we get to that, though, there are a few things you need to know.

So here's the Nervert approved version. As mentioned previously, today marks one year since I've uploaded the first chapter of my first (and what I thought only) fic. It has been an awesome and crazy ride, and I owe that to every reader and Chuck fan out there. Being part of this community is truly something special. Thank you for all the support, reviews, debates and general mayhem – you guys, and girls, rock!

I seem to be suffering from a bit of writer's block at the moment, hence the late update and shorter than usual chapter, but rest assured, I'm determined to kick its butt and finish this. For progress on my stories, please visit my bio page – I try to keep that pretty much up to date.

As always, I don't own Chuck.

Chapter 12

Special Agent Alexandra Forrest was a bitch. And she was rude, Sarah decided as she sank back into the chair, her eyes scanning the monitors. Someone really should inform her that slamming a door in another person's face was not _protocol_. Sarah huffed. She wondered if Forrest would forego bathroom breaks if protocol so dictated. Sighing, she folded her arms over her chest. Chuck was right – staying in the car sucked. Her fingers drummed idly against her elbow, her eyes never leaving the monitors. She tried to drown out the little voice telling her that this might just be the beginning. If she was sidelined from this assignment…

Sarah's attention snapped back to the mission when a familiar face walked into view. Ellie was not supposed to be working today. Cursing under her breath, she activated the comms to warn Chuck and Forrest, holding her breath until she saw Chuck successfully evading his sister by slipping into the hospital room they'd been looking for. Unfortunately that meant that she had lost visual on him. She turned up the audio's volume to get a better read on the situation. She only had one heart-stopping moment when Forrest left Chuck alone with the bad guys, but to her relief, he had managed to talk himself out of danger.

With Rashad Ahmad's identity confirmed, the team headed back to Castle to plan out the next part of the mission. And that was when trouble ensued. Chuck and Forrest got into it about using Devon's card key to obtain access to the surgery ward at Westside to plant the bug that was supposed to lead them to Hassan Khalid, who was believed to be hiding in the Afghani caves. Sarah had sided with Chuck, though not only for the reasons he had voiced. She knew getting his family involved would risk his cover, but unfortunately for her, Forrest wasn't aware of the sensitivity of the situation. Sarah looked to Casey for backup, but to her surprise, he agreed with Forrest. Outnumbered, as Chuck's vote didn't count, Sarah could do nothing more than remain stoic under the smug scrutiny of Forrest. It took real effort, because she realized that she had just lost a lot more than an argument.

* * *

Sarah was past the point of exhaustion when she delivered the final blow to the punching bag. She grabbed it with both gloved hands, dropping her head against the fake leather. The last three weeks felt surreal. So much had happened since that afternoon they had opened Gee's puzzle box. Turning her head slightly, she caught sight of the photo on her night stand.

_Ellie had insisted on a picture of her brother and his new girlfriend. Chuck slid Sarah an uncertain glance, still new to the world of spying and lying, and she tried her best to set him at ease. The small smile she shot him did the trick, and as Ellie fiddled with the digital camera to make sure all the settings were just right, his arms slipped around her from behind. It felt like the most natural thing in world, settling into Chuck's embrace, her hands resting on top of his and his breath puffing against her cheek. For the first time in over twenty years, she felt like she belonged. Like she'd found her home._

A home that, for the longest time, she thought she couldn't have, and now almost did, but it came at a price. With a heavy sigh, Sarah straightened and started to untie her gloves. It wasn't official yet, but she had a briefing in a couple of hours with Beckman and Forrest, and she could predict exactly how that was going to turn out.

* * *

Sarah had arrived early for the briefing, having decided to burn off her excess nervous energy with paperwork. The reports lay forgotten, however, as she flipped through the surveillance, stopping on the feed of the BuyMore. Devon's bachelor party was in full swing, and despite Chuck's reservations about getting his future brother-in-law involved in his spy life, he seemed to be having a good time. She watched as everyone turned towards the entrance, sporting expectant smiles. Chuck in particular, had a goofy grin plastered on his face. Her instincts, and she couldn't swear it was the spy related ones, kicked in and she switched the camera angle. She knew immediately what was happening when she saw the stage smoke fill the screen, but the pang of jealousy was replaced with an involuntary snicker when the three scantily clad women appeared in full view. If she had to guess, Jeff Barnes had arranged the entertainment.

"Walker," Forrest spoke behind her, her tone cold and professional. Sarah switched the feeds to the smaller monitors and schooled her features before turning. She was hovering between a snarky remark and mere polite acknowledgement when Beckman's face appeared on the main screen.

"Agent Forrest. Agent Walker." It wasn't so much a greeting as a summons and both agents took their places in front of the monitor. "I believe you have completed your evaluation, Agent Forrest," Beckman continued and Sarah straightened her back, preparing for the worst and, for the first time in her life, hoping for the best.

"Yes, General," Forrest responded. "Based on my observations, Agent Walker is far too emotionally entwined with the asset. Her decisions weren't made with respect to established protocol. She always places the subject's feelings above orders."

Sarah wanted to protest, to explain, but that was not how this worked. She didn't get the opportunity to state her case. She couldn't help but wish Chuck was here. He didn't know protocol. He would have said something. And he would've been disappointed that she hadn't.

"Is that your final assessment, Agent Forrest?"

"It is."

"Very well, I expect your written report on my desk in the morning. You are excused."

Sarah noticed Forrest nod and the glance she slid in her direction, but ignored both. Once Forrest was gone, Beckman removed her glasses, pinching the bridge of her nose as if to avert a headache.

"What happened, Sarah?"

The question was so unexpected, Sarah did a double take. "General?"

Beckman sighed, shaking her head. "Never mind, I suppose that question is moot. Agent Forrest's report will be passed on to your superiors at the CIA, but I will hold off for two days. Use that time to decide about your future. You are aware that if you refuse to be reassigned, that would mean the end of your career."

"Yes, ma'am." A part of her wanted to give her answer just then, but Sarah almost never acted that impulsively.

"Off the record, it would be a shame to lose you as an agent." Beckman slipped her glasses back on and sat up straight. "Thank you for dedication to this assignment, Agent Walker. You are dismissed."

* * *

Sarah flopped down on her back, eyes fixed on the ceiling. She considered letting the punching bag have it, but honestly, she didn't have the energy. She deliberated about calling Chuck, but even talking seemed like an effort. Instead she let her breath out slowly and closed her eyes.

She felt numb.

For the past year she'd been at a crossroads, hesitant to choose. Too scared to. Being an Agent was all she'd known for so long. Never thinking about the future beyond the next mission. She loved the adventure, the action, always being on the move. It was her comfort zone – until Chuck yanked her out of it with his sweet smile and kind heart.

She sighed.

Chuck. The reason the job wasn't the be all and end all anymore. Yet, at the same time the reason it became vitally important. For a brief moment she'd thought she could have it all.

Her ears perked up when she heard the familiar footfall approaching. When it stopped short of her door, she propped herself up on both elbows and called "It's open."

The door swung open slowly and Chuck paused, giving her a look she couldn't quite decipher. Then he stepped inside, closing it behind him.

"They fired you?" The incredulity in his voice surprised her. "I cannot believe they fired you."

"Actually," Sarah corrected, "they have given me the option to resign." That sounded lame, even to her. Technically, she had been fired from this assignment. She dropped back onto the bed and felt the mattress dip when Chuck sat down beside her.

"This is all wrong. You're the heart of the team, Sarah. You keep us honest, you keep me from getting too emotional and Casey from getting too trigger happy. We need you. Why can't Forrest see that?" The irony of his statement wasn't lost on her. That was the exact reason they were in this situation. Before she could give Chuck a verbal reply, he continued. "You know, I disagree with Casey. I do get a vote. I'm not a child or a convict. I'm the Intersect, the most valuable asset the government has. That's gotta have some pull, right? I can speak to Beckman…"

"Chuck, no." Sarah sat up and faced him. "Please don't tempt them to throw you in a bunker."

"If they make that woman my handler, I'm throwing myself in a bunker. Did you see her and Casey together? Those two are a match made in a very frightening part of heaven. And she tranqed Devon, after I asked her not to. You never would have done that." Chuck ran a hand across his face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to rant like that."

"It's okay," Sarah responded softly, rubbing soothing circles over his back. "I'm not crazy about the idea of her or anyone else being your handler either, but please promise me you won't do anything stupid."

"No."

Sarah's eyes narrowed. "No, you won't do anything stupid or no, you're not promising?"

Chuck's gaze dropped. "There's no way around this, is there? They're forcing you to choose."

"Yeah." Placing her hand over his, she brushed her thumb across his knuckles. "But look at it this way, we're free to be together now."

"At the cost of your career. It's wasn't supposed to be this way."

"No," she admitted, "it wasn't, but Chuck, that's not your fault. I knew the risks, and what concerns me more is your safety."

"Casey is still there to catch me when I fall and Forrest takes her job very seriously, so as long as it's protocol to protect the asset, I'm sure I'll be perfectly safe." He was probably right, but it didn't set Sarah's mind at ease. There were other issues to consider. Before she could say anything, he got up and paced to the door and back.

"Talk to me, Chuck," she prompted after a moment of silence. He stopped short of the bed, swallowed hard and sat back down. Sarah studied his face to get a clue as to what he was thinking, but came up empty.

"Take me out of the equation."

Sarah was taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"When you decide about your future, take me out of the equation," he repeated. "If you want to take a reassignment, then I'm okay with that. I will support you and I will be right here waiting when you come back. All I ask is that you be extra careful in the field and that you will come back." He risked a glance in her direction and Sarah caught his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her.

"Do you mean it? You'll be okay with any decision I make?" She saw panic flicker across his face, but he nodded anyway and her heart did a little tumble. Chuck was putting her first. It was her turn to swallow, forcing down the lump that had formed in her throat. She leaned her forehead against his. "Well, I'm not okay with it. Everything I want is right here."

Chuck's arms circled her back, and for probably the first time since she'd known him, he didn't verbally reply. He didn't have to. The way he held her said it all.

He eventually pulled away and broke the silence. "Do you think the CIA will let you stay on at the Orange Orange? Not that you have to work. I know I don't earn much, but we'll manage. I'm just not so sure about the Porsche…"

"Chuck," Sarah cut him off with a smile, "you're offer is very sweet, but I have savings and a degree from Harvard. I'll be just fine."

"Harvard? Well, it's not Stanford, but…" when his grin spread Sarah punched him in the shoulder for teasing her. Chuck's hand immediately went up to rub the spot. "Beautiful, smart and deadly. I'm never gonna win an argument in this relationship, am I?"

"No, and don't you forget it," she teased back, her inner turmoil momentarily forgotten.

"Well, as much as I would like to stay and test your theory," Chuck glanced at his watch, "I have a shift at the BuyMore which I'm going to be five minutes late for."

"Is Emmett going to give you crap for that?" Sarah asked, sliding her hands up his arms and around his neck, her fingers combing through his curls.

"What do you think?" he smirked and her eyes fell to his lips.

"Then it won't matter if you're five or fifteen minutes late."

Twenty two and a half minutes later Sarah watched from her door as Chuck jogged towards the elevators. He had set the alarm on his phone, claiming that he would lose track of time, but had ended up pressing the snooze button twice. With a promise to return after his shift and finish what they had started, she had reluctantly let him go. Chuck disappeared through the doors and Sarah turned back to her room, wondering how she was going to spend her first day of 'freedom'. Though she technically hadn't resigned yet, it was a pure formality.

Her eyes fell on an object half hidden under her bed and she bent down to retrieve it. Chuck's wallet. Rushing to the window, she was just in time to see the NerdHerder round the corner a block away. Sarah stood undecided for a moment, then grabbed her car keys, purse and gun.

* * *

The drive to Echo Park took longer than usual, as Sarah had to be mindful of the speed limits. That was a job perk she was definitely going to miss. She pulled up next to Chuck's car, glad that she'd caught him. Her mood was all over the place and she was fairly sure she couldn't deal with Emmitt today. She hopped out of the car and quickly crossed the courtyard. After knocking twice and getting no response, she tried the door. It swung open.

"Chuck?" she called into the apartment but was met with silence. "Chuck?" she tried again and entered, "I told you not to leave the door unlocked when you're alone…" The first thing to catch her attention when she reached his bedroom was his phone on the bed. She grabbed it, pushed down the feeling of panic and searched the rest of the apartment. There was no sign of Chuck.

Using his phone, she dialed Casey. The call went straight to voicemail. She tried from her own and got the same result. Forcing herself to stay calm, Sarah opened the tracking application, cursing for not thinking of that earlier, and immediately got a signal. Her heart sank when she realized it couldn't be right, but she followed it, only to find Chuck's watch at the bottom of the fountain.

* * *

_**Next time on A Common Spy Problem:**_

" … _and Devon thinks you're awesome and not just because he thinks everything is awesome…and you're like my sister."_

…

"_Bartowski! You're making my ears bleed."_


	13. Chapter 13

**A Common Spy Problem**

**A/N: **What do know, Kate's still alive. I am running on about 10 hours sleep over the last 3 days though, so this note is gonna be short, but I do have to point out how awesome **Nervert** is. He has to suffer through the first draft and make this better for you all, so please give him a proverbial pat on the back, he deserves that and more. Any mistakes are mine, however, as he hasn't seen the rewrite and changes.

I don't own Chuck.

Chapter 13

The black Porsche tore through the Buy More Plaza parking lot, barely missing a green shirt hauling a washer-dryer to a customer's car. Sarah snagged a spot from in front of a silver Toyota Corolla, lifting her hand in a brief apology without looking while quickly locking her car. Seconds later she was in the Orange Orange freezer, trying to gain access to Castle. After her first unsuccessful attempt, she took a deep breath and punched in her code again and stood absolutely still for the retina scan. The red warning flashed across the screen for a second time. Biting back a curse, Sarah located the hidden button under the access panel cover and activated the camera.

"Casey, I can't get in. I don't have access." Nothing happened. "Look, I think Chuck's in trouble." She held up Chuck's watch in front of the lens. "I found this in the fountain."

The door hissed open and she rushed down the stairs, catching the last bit of Casey's "…best damn partner I ever had." Sarah would have given Forrest a smug look, had she not been working so hard to stay in agent mode. That was what Chuck needed from her now, but some anger surfaced when Forrest stepped in her path, snatching the watch from her grip.

"We'll take it from here. You were fired, remember?"

"Then there's nothing stopping me from kicking your ass." Sarah shouldered Forrest out of the way.

"Agent Walker, I'm warning you…"

"You lost the asset!" Sarah snapped back. "You haven't even been Chuck's handler for a day and not only did you not protect him as you're supposed to, you didn't even realize he was missing!"

"How do we know this isn't a ploy to get your job back? You could have…"

"Enough!" Casey cut Forrest off, stepping out of the way to give Sarah access to the computer.

She pulled up the surveillance of the courtyard and sped back through the footage. All three agents watched as Chuck was being handcuffed and a bag was pulled over his head. Sarah shot Forrest an accusing glare.

Then Casey turned to Sarah. "We lost the surveillance signal from Ahmad's heart. There's gotta be a connection between the signal's disappearance and Chuck's abduction."

"I don't understand. Isn't the GLG-4000 specifically designed to track deep inside the Afghani caves?"

"You need at least six feet of solid steel to block that signal." Forrest seemed to have gotten her voice back.

Sarah and Casey shared a brief look. They were thinking the same thing. Sarah wasted no time calling up the location of the last place Ahmad's heart registered, overlaying it with the satellite image at Casey's suggestion.

"A bank vault?" Casey asked.

"That would do it."

"Good job, Walker."

Sarah could almost feel Forrest's eyes boring a hole in her skull at Casey's second compliment, but again ignored the other agent as they grabbed their gear and headed out.

* * *

With guns drawn, the three agents made their way to the lower part of the bank where the vault was located. Sarah caught a glimpse of Chuck, wearing a white lab coat. Before she could react, Forrest called out his name, alerting Ahmed's men in the process. The door swung closed, locking Chuck inside with the bad guys. Sarah stayed calm, but swore to herself to make good on that ass kicking she had promised Forrest earlier. At least she'd leave the Agency on a high note as far as she was concerned.

Sarah set to work to crack open the vault. It would have gone a lot faster is she hadn't had to stop twice to fight with Forrest over the merits of blowing the door open. Chuck was locked in a confined space and the overpressure would kill him. . As it were, she was scared that he could inhale too much of the gas. Forrest's attempts to get Chuck to turn the gas off, had been unsuccessful, and she had refused to hand over the walkie so Sarah could speak to him. Casey yelled at Chuck, but that didn't work either. Sarah suppressed her irritation and focused on the task at hand. Just as Forrest threatened to get the nitro again, Sarah heard the last tumbler click into place and pushed the door open.

Leading the team inside, Sarah could breathe easy for the first time since leaving Chuck's bedroom. He was propped up against a wall, seemingly unharmed. She holstered her weapon and offered Chuck her hand, pulling him to his feet. He was clearly surprised to see her.

"You came for me?"

"Always." She gave Chuck a once over, making sure he was okay.

"Hey, Sarah, guess what? I think I'm super stoned."

"Yeah, I think you are." Sarah returned his goofy grin with a toothy smile of her own, paying no attention to Casey and Forrest who were rounding up the Ahmad's men.

"And guess what else?" Chuck asked, attempting an eyebrow dance, but failing miserably.

"What else?" she played along.

"I love you."

Sarah was momentarily speechless. She noticed Forrest freeze, her attention on them, while Casey did his best to pretend he hadn't heard. Turning her back on the other agents, Sarah stepped closer to Chuck and lowered her voice.

"Chuck…" She didn't really know how to respond to that, but her silence didn't deter him.

"'s true. I love you and Ellie loves you and Devon thinks you're awesome and not just because he thinks everything is awesome…and you're like my sister."

"Sister?" she found herself asking, still stunned.

"What? Oh, no, no, not like that…definitely not…I mean look at you…the two of you…you're both such babes…so gorgeous and inappropriate…it's inappropriate to say that about my sister, I mean, but you're both gorgeous, yet so nice…it's like…you should be more like Frosted…Forst…Forrest over there, with the CIA and everything, but you're not…you're just…you're everything…and that's why I…"

"Bartowski!" Casey interrupted, "You're making my ears bleed."

Chuck shot Casey an indignant look, and Sarah used the opportunity to grab Chuck's hand and drag him out of the vault before he could say another word. They stopped short of the stairs.

"He just had to go and ruin it," Chuck complained.

"Chuck, he didn't ruin it." Sarah's heart was still beating loudly in her ears. His declaration had been unexpected and she wanted to believe him, but she kept telling herself that he didn't know what he was saying. Ten minutes ago he was going on about how ladybugs couldn't all be ladies. Her gaze dropped and she swallowed before looking up at him. "Chuck, would you do me a favor?"

He nodded solemnly.

"Tell me again tomorrow." If he did, then she would know it wasn't just the effects of the laughing gas, but if he didn't… Sarah couldn't decide which prospect scared her more. Their new relationship status was fairly new and she didn't want anything to jeopardize it.

"Even the part about my sister?" Chuck asked, oblivious to her concerns.

That elicited a small smile from Sarah. "Yeah, even that part."

* * *

"Agent Forrest, am I to believe that you were trying to blow up Ahmad and the asset? What exactly were you trying to achieve?" General Beckman leaned forward, peering over the rim of her glasses.

Sarah noticed the slight shift in Forrest's demeanor. Not so fun when the shoe is on the other foot, she thought as Forrest tried her best to hide her discomfort.

"Wait, what?" Chuck spoke out of turn. "You tried to blow me up?"

"General, if I may," Casey cut him off and Beckman nodded, urging him to continue. "We can all agree that Agent Forrest has displayed poor judgment during the course of this assignment."

Forrest opened her mouth to protest, but the pointed look from both Sarah and Beckman silenced her.

"In light of that, I also want it put on record that I disagree with her assessment of Agent Walker."

Sarah clenched her jaw at Casey's statement in an effort to not let it drop to the floor. She sneaked a glance at him, but his eyes were fixed on the monitor. Sarah did catch Chuck staring at Casey, surprise clearly written over his face.

"As per my report," Casey continued probably the longest speech Sarah had ever heard him give, "I believe that Agent Walker's personal entanglement with the asset, as Agent Forrest put it, would actually benefit the team."

Beckman leaned back in her chair and raised a critical eyebrow. "How so?"

"Agent Walker's feelings," Casey spat out the last word like it tasted bad, "causes her to be more focused, as she has proved today."

Sarah carefully studied the woman on the monitor. Casey had just made the same argument she had when Beckman initially found out about her and Chuck. Beckman's face, however, gave nothing away when she turned toward Forrest.

"Thank you for your services, Agent Forrest. You are dismissed."

"General," Forrest spoke up for the first time since the briefing had started. "Are you going to send a copy of Major Casey's report to the CIA Director?" Sarah could detect the faintest hint of panic in her voice.

"Of course, Agent, that is protocol."

Sarah almost felt sorry for Forrest when she merely nodded in response to Beckman's short and somewhat sarcastic answer, and turned on her heel.

"Okay, team," Beckman brought them to order as soon as Forrest was gone. "Major Casey, your report will invalidate Agent Forrest's, so Agent Walker, welcome back to team Bartowski."

"Thank you, General," Sarah controlled her elation, answering in her most professional tone. She was glad to have her job back, but there was another issue the General had yet to address. Sarah kept a close eye on the General's finger, expecting the usual abrupt ending to the briefing. Instead, Beckman took a sip of water and returned the glass off screen.

"Now as for your request to have a personal relationship with the ass…Mr. Bartowski…"

Chuck shot Sarah an optimistic look, but she didn't return it. He'd been crushed so many times over the past year, she too to some extent, she didn't want to get his hopes up just yet. The road ahead might not be as smooth as he was probably thinking it would be.

"I will allow it, but…" Beckman quickly added when Chuck looked like he wanted to say something, "There will be rules."

"So there are rules for breaking the rules?" Chuck asked, earning himself a jab in the ribs from Casey's elbow.

"Quit while you're ahead, moron," Casey whispered under his breath.

"What are the rules, General?" Sarah asked in an attempt to get Beckman's attention off the boys.

"You will keep your relationship low-key. That is not negotiable."

Chuck stepped out of Casey's reach before addressing the General again. "I don't understand. All this time Sarah and I had to pretend that we were in a relationship when we weren't and now that we are, we have to pretend not to be?"

"I will explain it to him, ma'am," Sarah intervened, not wanting to risk Beckman changing her mind. This was more than she had hoped for. "And, General, thank you." The words seemed inconsequential to what she was feeling, but she had a suspicion that Beckman would know what this meant to her.

Beckman nodded in response and looked from Chuck to Sarah. "I must caution you that mixing your personal and professional lives is dangerous. No one outside of this room is to be made aware of the real state of affairs."

"Understood, General."

"Very well." Beckman moved to disconnect the link. "I'll leave the logistics for you to sort out." With that the screen went black.

Casey grunted an excuse and disappeared into the armory. Sarah suspected he'd reach his quota of lady feelings for the day. She, on the other hand, was a bag of mixed emotions and Chuck seemed stunned.

* * *

"So," Chuck eventually broke the silence in the car, "we are a real couple. Finally."

"You're only making that distinction now?" Sarah asked with a smirk before turning her attention back to the road. Chuck had been relatively quiet since the briefing and she had no idea what was going on in his head. He didn't act at all like she had expected he would, but his question set her mind at ease.

"Well, no, I guess…the afternoon at the hotel?" he tried again.

Sarah huffed. "Is that the kind of girl you take me for?"

"What? No? Of course not." She could hear the panic in his voice. "That's not at all what I meant. I just…"

"Chuck," Sarah gave his knee a squeeze. "It's a joke. Remember those?" A quick glance in his direction confirmed her suspicion that he was blushing.

His hand covered hers, keeping it in place. "Well, thank you for confirming you're not a cannibal," he shot back.

"I thought you always wanted to meet a cannibal?" she asked innocently.

"An evasive spy will do, I guess." He shrugged and then turned in his seat to face her. "So, when?"

"When, what?" she misunderstood on purpose. Though she'd shared more of herself with Chuck than she thought she ever would with anyone, talking about her feelings still made her uncomfortable. Old habits were hard to break.

And Chuck, being Chuck, understood. He turned her hand over, drawing lazy circles with his finger on her palm, not saying a word. His touch sent a shiver down her spine. She watched him in her peripheral vision. He was still smiling, but his shoulders had sagged a little.

Her grandmother had once told her that relationships were give and take, and that her father took too much, which was why her mother left. She had been too young to understand at the time, but as she grew older, the pieces had fallen into place. She loved her father, but she didn't want to _be_ him. It was time to give.

"When you told a little girl that real ballerinas were tall," she eventually said, "I knew there was something." Sarah briefly snaked her fingers through Chuck's and then let go to shift gears as she pulled up to the apartment complex. She could feel his eyes on her. "What?"

"You've always protested, like, a lot." Despite the humor in his voice, she still felt a little twist in her chest.

"Chuck, it is…was complicated, trying to hold onto someone you can't have, but can't stand to lose…" Sarah took a deep breath. "And for the record, I lied when we under the influence of Pentothal." She finally faced him.

"You can do that?" Sarah only smiled in response.

Chuck was deep in thought for a moment. "I lied about my aversion to PDA, so that should make us even."

His confession took Sarah by surprise. "Why would you do that?" She had one explanation in mind and she didn't like it one bit.

"I just figured, having to pretend to be someone's girlfriend must have been tough on you, so I didn't want to make it harder." Chuck shifted, avoiding her gaze and mumbled something she couldn't make out.

"I didn't catch that."

"I said mainly I didn't want you to think it was fake."

Sarah dropped her head back against the seat. "I can tell the difference, you know." The minute the words left her mouth, she knew what they'd sounded like and quickly changed the subject. "Chuck, you do understand that we can't suddenly amp up the PDA. People might get suspicious and we have to keep our relationship on the down low, like Beckman said." She made sure to catch his gaze again. "If any other agent suspect that we're allowed to break the asset handler protocol, that could blow your cover, and there are still a lot of double agents out there."

"Yeah, I understand. No PDA." He didn't look happy about the prospect.

"That's not what I said. We can adjust it gradually."

"What about…the other stuff?"

"Casey and I will split surveillance duties. Of course my surveillance will be of a more personal nature," she winked and Chuck responded with a lopsided grin.

"And all date nights won't be mission related, right?"

Sarah let out a small laugh. "No, but I will be bringing a gun, you know, given our tendency to get into trouble."

Chuck nodded. "Agreed."

Sarah straightened and pulled the key from the ignition. "Now you're making it sound like a business deal."

"It's not. We haven't shaken on it yet." Chuck's comment earned him a raised eyebrow which quickly lowered when his hand moved to cradle the side of her face. She moved closer to meet him halfway, ignoring the handbrake digging into her hip.

A knock on the passenger side window caused them to jump apart.

"The food's getting cold." Ellie didn't bother to wait for a response and Chuck and Sarah stared at her retreating form.

"What was that all about?" Sarah asked as they got out of the car.

"I should have warned you, she's angry at me and Devon." Chuck held out his hand and Sarah took it, linking their fingers. "She saw pictures from the bachelor party and jumped to the wrong conclusions and then she caught me trying to sneak his card key into his bag, so now she thinks we've both betrayed her."

Sarah stopped short of the courtyard gate, her voice guarded. "What kind of pictures?"

"Well, Devon was unconscious after Forrest tranqed him and it seemed like she was all over him. Ellie thinks he lost his card because the two of them were...you know."

"Damn it. What didn't she screw up?"

"At least she's gone now." Chuck sighed in resignation. "I just wish she hadn't hurt my family."

Sarah shared the sentiment. "We'll fix this."

"How?"

"After dinner ask Devon to help you clean up so Ellie and I can talk in private." The prospect scared her a little, but she knew this was important to Chuck. It was important to her too. Ellie was the closest she had to a 'normal' friend.

"Are you sure you want to do that? Maybe if we leave things be, they can work it out."

"Probably, but it's not fair to put them through that because the CIA messed up."

Chuck gave her a wistful smile before pulling her in for a hug. "Thank you."

* * *

Dinner was over far too soon for Sarah's liking. She still had no idea what to say to Ellie to make things right, but she knew she had to do something. Despite the polite conversation, the tension could be cut with a knife. Chuck had followed through on the plan and started to clear the table as soon as they were done. Devon didn't have to be asked to help, and as soon as the men made their way to the kitchen, Sarah and Ellie retired to the living room.

Sarah took a sip of her wine before turning to Ellie. She decided on a direct approach. "Chuck told me what happened at the bachelor party."

"Which version?" Ellie asked with a hint of cynicism.

"Ellie, look, Devon would never cheat on you. Anyone can see he's crazy about you. Don't you trust him?" A part of Sarah wished she could tell Ellie the truth of what happened, but she knew that wouldn't be feasible.

"I thought I could, but I guess I was wrong. People let you down." Ellie's words hit close to home for Sarah. This was worse than she thought.

"Not everyone," Sarah answered quietly, her eyes automatically turning towards Chuck who was busy loading the dishwasher.

"Do you trust Chuck?"

"Of course," Sarah answered instinctively, her gaze snapping back to Ellie's.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't." Sarah could tell Ellie regretted the words the instant she had spoken them. She had a good idea what Ellie was referring to and though she didn't particularly wanted to discuss that topic, Sarah realized that perhaps it could help her convince Ellie to give Devon the benefit of the doubt.

"If you're referring to Jill Roberts who was in town a couple of weeks ago, I know all about it. Chuck told me they had dinner and he also assured me that nothing else happened."

"And you believed him?" Ellie asked, still skeptical.

"Yes. Completely." Sarah knew she had the benefit of actually knowing Chuck had told the truth. She couldn't blame Ellie for her doubts as she didn't have that same luxury. Still, Sarah was well aware that Devon hadn't been lying. Damn Forrest. "Actually, it brought us closer, because it made me realize that I don't want to risk losing him."

Ellie didn't respond. Instead, she swirled her glass, staring intently at the dark red liquid.

"Ellie, do you really think Devon would jeopardize everything you have for one reckless night with a stripper? Or that Chuck would let him? He wouldn't let anyone hurt you."

Again Ellie said nothing and Sarah felt like she'd hit a brick wall. She caught Chuck's eyes over the counter and shook her head slightly at the unspoken question. She saw him whisper something to Devon before disappearing down the hall. He returned a few minutes later with a small duffel bag and stopped behind the couch, placing a hand on Ellie's shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"If it's okay with Sarah, I'll crash at her place tonight so you and Devon can have some privacy," he spoke to the back of his sister's head.

Ellie reached forward to put her glass on the coffee table and straightened. "Thanks." Her response was barely audible.

Chuck led the way to the front door and gave Ellie a hug goodbye. When it was Sarah's turn, she whispered "Promise me you'll think about what I said." Ellie simply nodded and sent them off with a small wave.

* * *

By the time Sarah got into bed, she was completely exhausted. Chuck shifted closer and with his hand on her hip he prompted her to turn on her side. His arm slipped around her waist and he pulled her back against his chest.

"Thanks for letting me stay. And for saving my life again and for talking to Ellie." He dropped a kiss on her exposed shoulder.

"You don't have to thank me for any of it, Chuck. I'm just sorry I couldn't get through to Ellie."

"Honey, you tried, but not everything can be solved with one conversation."

"Do you think they'll work it out?"

"Yeah. Besides, a lot of good things happened today. Let's hope some of our luck has rubbed off on them."

"Luck?" Sarah asked. Though no competent spy would ever admit it, they relied on that probably more often than they should. Today had been one of those days for her.

"Well," Chuck responded, tightening his grip, "corny as it may sound, I am the luckiest guy in the world."

Sarah wiggled out of his embraced and rolled around, pushing up on one elbow. She cupped the side of Chuck's face with her free hand, tracing a thumb over his lower lip. "I'm the lucky one."

"It's not a contest," he smiled.

"We'll see about that." She closed the distance between their lips. "Just remember," she whispered, "I am very competitive."

Sarah claimed his mouth with an intensity she didn't know she possessed. Chuck took her up on the challenge, slipping his hand into her hair, keeping her close, and when his arm hooked around her waist, she slid a leg across his and allowed him to pull her fully on top of him. They parted for a quick breath.

Still panting, Chuck reached up and nuzzled the sensitive spot where her neck and shoulder met. Sarah moaned in response. "I'll take the point," he teased against her skin.

"The night's still young," she breathed.

Her back arched when he trailed a hot path up the length of her throat, causing their bodies to touch in just the right places. Sarah felt Chuck shiver at the contact. "Now we're even."

* * *

**A/N: **No teasers today, I'm afraid, but I can tell you that Chuck vs. Santa Clause is up next. Now some of you Charah fans probably think that I had forgotten something in the latter part of this chapter, but I haven't. All I'm saying is trust me. See you soon.


	14. Chapter 14

**A Common Spy Problem**

**A/N:** I have a personal rule I live by: no long author's notes after 1 am. But I still have two minutes left, so here goes. The amount of reviews on this story has been absolutely overwhelming. Other writers on this site know how awesome it is to get them and I wish I could explain that feeling to the rest of the readers. Writing is a lonely job and your interaction makes all the difference, so from the bottom (and top) of my heart – Thank You. I haven't been around much to reply, apologies for that, but I'll pick up with those in the near future.

As per usual, Nervert has beta'd this, in record time like he normally does, so thanks buddy.

This chapter is an interlude, leading into the next 'episode', but this is also where I need to point out that the next update will probably take three weeks or so (it will be regular from then on), I just have some other stuff to take care off. Life, you know.

In case you were wondering, I still don't own Chuck.

It's now 1:10am, so I guess I've just violated my rule. Bad, Kate.

Chapter 14

Sarah wiped down the counter, quietly humming. When she caught herself, she stopped and frowned slightly. She tried to place the song, but failed. She puffed out a sigh. Chuck had promised that he would help her find a favorite song and band, and she had decided to get a head start on the project by turning on the radio whenever she was alone in the car. So far the mission had been a bust. Every time she heard lyrics that reminded her of Chuck or their relationship, or their struggle to have a relationship, which happened a lot more than she'd thought it would, her mind would start to wander and she'd miss the DJ announcing the song name and artist.

Shaking her head, she continued her cleaning regime. Involuntarily she started to hum again when random words started running through her mind. _If this is what we've got, then what we've got is gold…_

The bell over the Orange Orange door alerted Sarah to a customer. She looked up, surprised to see Ellie standing in front of her.

"Hi," Sarah greeted, warily gauging Ellie's reaction. She seemed to be in a better mood than last night, but then again, that could just be because Devon wasn't in the vicinity. Sarah sincerely hoped that wasn't the case, but she was too scared to ask.

"I want to apologize for last night," Ellie said without preamble. "Some of the things I've said…" she trailed off, her eyes fixed on the yogurt machine behind Sarah.

"It's okay, Ellie, no harm done," Sarah assured her. Ellie gave her an apologetic smile and small nod, and Sarah got the distinct feeling that she wanted to say more. That was a trademark of the Bartowskis, they talked things out. Sarah was just going to have to adjust to that.

"Can I get you anything?" Sarah eventually asked.

Ellie perked up. "What have you got?"

"Well," Sarah studied the menu board behind her, "the apple cinnamon with chocolate sprinkles is our new holiday special and it is absolutely gross." That elicited a chuckle from Ellie. "How about coffee?"

"Sounds good."

Ellie took a seat at a nearby table while Sarah made a call.

"What was that about?" Ellie asked after Sarah had hung up and joined her. "Why does Skip Johnson bring you coffee from Lou's?"

"Lou's coffee is the best, but if she knew it was for me, she would probably spit in it, so Chuck made an arrangement with Skip to ensure I still get my daily fix."

"What did you do to her?" Ellie laughed.

Sarah's eyes widened. She'd completely forgotten that Ellie had no idea about the whole Lou-episode, but everyone from the Buy More did, which made coming up with a cover story nearly impossible. If Ellie could get intel, albeit the wrong intel, from the Buymorians regarding Devon's bachelor's, there was a good chance that she would find out if Sarah had lied to her. She had no option but to be as honest as she could be.

"Uhm," Sarah stalled, mentally kicking herself for letting it slip in the first place, but pushed on, "just before Thanksgiving last year, Chuck and I…there was a misunderstanding and we broke up." Even after all this time she was reluctant to admit that Chuck had dumped her. "He dated Lou for a while." Sarah left it there. Surely Ellie could draw her own conclusions about how things turned out.

"You guys broke up? Why didn't anyone tell me?" Ellie rubbed her forehead, thinking. "I picked up some tension at Thanksgiving dinner, but I thought you just had a disagreement or something."

Sarah suppressed a groan. That was a night she didn't remember fondly. Bryce had caught her by surprise and she was horrified that Chuck had seen them. The timing couldn't have been worse. Bryce's kiss had paled in comparison to the one she'd shared with Chuck at the docks, their first real kiss that never should have happened, but that she didn't want to take back for anything in the world. The last thing she wanted was to taint it. Of course she couldn't tell Ellie that.

"So Lou is upset that Chuck dumped her for you?" Ellie asked when the silence stretched too long.

"That, and the fact that I kinda stalked them on their date. Not my proudest moment," Sarah confessed. She couldn't let Chuck take all the blame.

Ellie placed a comforting hand on Sarah's arm. "I'm sure you did what you had to. When it comes to someone you love, you can't go too far."

The statement took Sarah by surprise. She was burning to ask Ellie how she knew, but given the circumstances, she kept quiet. Instead her mind casted back to Chuck's confession of the day before, but he hadn't made good on his promise yet. And she was still trying to figure out if she was even capable of such a declaration.

Ellie sat back in her chair, folded her arms and cocked her head to the side. "Sarah, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah," she answered warily. That question was rarely followed up by an easy one. Heck, she didn't even know why people asked that. It wasn't as if you could say no.

"Are you over your ex?"

"What?" Sarah asked in disbelief.

"I know he was in town a while back and I saw the two of you together." It was Ellie's turn to look uncomfortable. "Devon and I…we probably shouldn't have interfered, but we were looking out for Chuck and…"

"What did you do?" Sarah interrupted. Her heart was beating loudly in her ears. If Ellie had recognized Bryce, her cover was blown to shreds.

"When you were hospitalized, he came by and Devon had a heart to heart with him. He told him to back off, and he intercepted some of your flowers." Ellie looked down guiltily.

"Did you speak to him?" Sarah had to be sure.

"No. To be honest, I didn't even get a good look at him."

Sarah's heart rate slowed down. She wasn't sure how she felt about their interference, but that was beside the point. She and Bryce had been over since she thought he'd betrayed his country. By the time she had found out he hadn't, she was already head over heels for Chuck.

"I didn't mean to pry," Ellie continued, "I was just thinking, you and Chuck seem happier than ever, and if you could get past the exes, then maybe Devon and I…maybe we can work through this rough patch."

It took Sarah by surprise that Ellie would actually look to her and Chuck as role models. She had no idea how to respond to that. Lucky for her, she didn't have to as she was quite literally saved by the bell.

"Ellie, hi," Chuck spoke behind Sarah, causing her to whip around. He smiled, holding up two paper cups. "I come bearing coffee." He placed them on the table before giving Sarah a kiss on the cheek. His hand remained on her shoulder when he straightened, with his thumb rubbing small circles against the back of her neck. Instinctively Sarah's hand covered his. "Sorry it took so long. Lou made Skip wait. I think she might be onto us."

"Is this safe to drink then?" Ellie asked, pointing to her cup.

"Yip," Chuck responded, "Skip is under strict instructions to observe the entire coffee making process. He had no suspicious activity to report." He pulled a chair around and sat down next to Sarah, his arm resting casually on the back of hers. "So what brings you by?" he asked Ellie.

Sarah hid a shy smile behind her cup. This was what she'd always had in mind with their cover PDA, and not necessarily to sell their cover, but maybe Chuck was right, it wouldn't have been the same if they hadn't admitted their feelings. It might have just complicated their situation further.

"I owed you guys an apology," Ellie explained.

Chuck waved it off. "Really not necessary, sis. We just want you and Devon to be okay." Sarah nodded in agreement.

Ellie looked from Chuck to Sarah. "We will be."

* * *

"Isn't your break over?" Sarah asked after Ellie had left.

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" Chuck teased and hopped over the counter. Sarah laughed as she ducked to her left, just out of his grasp.

"I don't want you to get into trouble with Emmett. Again," she added when he pulled a face.

"Is it a crime to want to spend some alone time with my girlfriend?"

Chuck reached for her again, but Sarah was faster. She sidestepped his attempt, circling around him in the same move and slipped her arms around his waist from behind. She went onto her toes to rest her chin on his shoulder.

"You couldn't wait a few hours?" Sarah grazed his earlobe with her teeth and Chuck made a small noise in the back of his throat.

"No." He turned his head. "You know, this will be a lot easier if you're not all the way back there."

"What will?" she smirked, knowing exactly what he was thinking.

"Showing you how much I missed you." His arms covered hers and he tried to loosen her grip. Sarah didn't budge.

"You can show me tonight," she suggested.

"Oh, I'm planning to." Chuck gave her the eyebrow dance over his shoulder, earning himself a pinch in the ribs. "Ow! What was that for?"

"I was talking about going on a date. Doing things properly for a change."

"Are you hinting that I should take you out?"

"No." Sarah slipped around him and fiddled with his tie. "I am asking you out on a date, not for you to ask me," she clarified.

Chuck caught her hands in one of his, stilling them against his chest. His free arm locked around her back, pulling her closer. "I'd like that, but shouldn't I be the one to ask? You know, seeing as we're aiming for proper."

"Chuck, you're a little slow sometimes." She gave him a sly smile. "If I had to wait for you to call me after I left you my card, I'd still be watching the phone."

"You were watching your phone?" Chuck asked, clearly amused.

Sarah shook her head. "Of course not." Then she bit her bottom lip. "Okay, yeah," she shrugged, "I may have checked it once or twice." That was only a half truth, so she changed the subject. "I'll pick you up at seven. Dress casual and warm."

"Yes, ma'am." Chuck gave her a mock salute followed by a brief kiss.

"Atta soldier." She wormed out of his embrace and shoved him in the direction of the door. "Now get your cute butt back to the Buy More before Emmett puts you on call for the night."

"Feel free to watch me leave," Chuck quipped and laughed as he quickly closed the door to avoid the empty yogurt cup hurled in his direction.

* * *

Sarah finished applying her makeup and stood back to inspect her outfit. It was not what she would normally wear on a date, but tonight was not going to be the usual dinner and dancing type of evening. The faded blue jeans hugged her hips perfectly, her black biker boots were comfortable and the blue sweater she'd chosen brought out her eyes. Her hair was tied back into a ponytail. She slipped a beige scarf around her neck and went over to the closet for a jacket. She opted for the black leather, but when she unhooked it from the hanger, her eyes fell on the yellow lettering of the garment behind it.

Perfect, she thought as she slid the Buy More jacket over her shoulders. It was a tad too big, but it was cozy. Though it wasn't really that cold outside, it was rather windy where they were going. Sarah checked her small backpack to ensure her gun was safely tucked inside and grabbed her car keys.

Down in the lobby, the concierge was already waiting, picnic basket in hand. He was going through the order with her when the delivery guy from the Bamboo Dragon showed up. Satisfied that she had everything she needed, Sarah tipped both men generously and headed to her car.

At five minutes to seven, Sarah pulled up to the curb across from the apartment complex. Chuck was standing outside, hands deep in his pockets, kicking at rocks with the tip of one of his converses. His face lit up when he spotted her car.

"You're early," Chuck noted after he got into the passenger side of the Porsche.

"I would have been on time if you allowed me to go up to your door and ring the bell. Are you ashamed of me all of a sudden?" Sarah kept a straight face when Chuck's eyes widened.

"Of course not, but if Ellie finds out I'm allowing a woman to take me on a date…she'll feed me stale bread and water for a week."

Sarah broke down and smiled. "It will be our little secret." She leaned over the console to greet him properly.

Chuck kept the conversation going while Sarah drove, telling her about his day and the latest craziness his coworkers got up to. She didn't have much to add, selling three froyo's wasn't all that exciting, but she listened intently, wondering how Jeff and Lester hadn't gotten themselves fired yet. By the sound of it, they managed to make Emmett's life a living hell on a daily basis, which scored them points in her book.

Traffic was flowing smoothly for a change and soon she spotted their exit. She eased into the far right lane.

"We're going to Bob Hope Airport?" Chuck asked and ducked lower to read the sign through the windshield.

"Sort of." Sarah drove past the terminal, taking a right just after the end of the building. When they reached the security gate, she flashed a badge, signed the register and gave the security a small wave as he let them through.

"Is this a CIA perk?" Chuck asked in awe as he took in his surroundings. He'd probably never seen planes this close up before. Set against the sunset, they looked quite majestic.

"That's classified." Sarah winked at Chuck, making sure he knew she was teasing. She continued her drive down the dirt road running parallel with the runway. At the edge of the tarmac she took a wide turn. She found the spot she was looking for and parked her car.

Chuck laid down the blanket while Sarah retrieved the basket containing dinner. She handed it to him, and it was barely on the ground before he dug in, checking what she'd brought. Laughing at his eagerness, she sat down beside him.

"What? Has no one ever told you the road to a man's heart goes through his stomach?"

"I always thought that was a metaphor for..." Her eyes darted south, her eyebrows in the opposite direction. "…you know."

"Only if the food is inedible," Chuck retorted. "We're easy that way." He pulled out a container of sizzling shrimp. "Seems like that's not the case though."

"Are you saying I'm not getting lucky tonight?"

"How did you miss the part about being easy?" Chuck poured a glass of champagne and handed it to her. "But seriously, Sarah, all of this…" He gestured around him. "It's…well, it's awesome."

She shared his smile, feeling the heat rising up from her neck. "I'm glad you like it."

Chuck gave her a knowing look to which she responded with a small nod. Holding his glass out to her, she clinked hers against it. "To a great evening, good food and excellent company."

The sunset picnic turned out as romantic as Sarah had hoped it would be, despite the occasional deafening noise when a plane flew overhead. Once all the empty food containers were disposed of, Chuck leaned with his back against the side of the car, pulled up his knees and patted the spot between his feet. Sarah settled against his chest and his arms wrapped around her. She rested her hands on top of his. The watched in silence as another plane taxied down the runway, lifted off from the tar and eventually roared overhead, sending a gust of wind past them.

"Are you cold?" Chuck asked close to her ear to make sure she could hear him. She'd left her jacket in the car, but the shiver that ran through her had nothing to do with the elements, so she shook her head.

"I'm quite comfortable," she replied when she laid her head back against his shoulder. She could feel him smile against her cheek and she knew she made the right decision bringing him here. It wasn't easy for her to let her guard down, no matter how much she wanted to. People didn't just change overnight, but Chuck made her feels things she never thought she would. He left her vulnerable, but never unprotected.

"This is one of my favorite spots in L.A.," she eventually said. "I come here when I don't want to think."

"Too loud?"

"Yeah."

There was another moment of silence.

"When I was a kid, I used to lie on my grandmother's lawn, watching the planes fly over. I always wished I was up there, in one of them. I imagined how small the world would look through those windows."

"And you thought maybe all your problems would seem that small too?" Chuck asked quietly.

"Something like that." Sarah didn't elaborate. She wasn't ready to travel down that path just yet. She steered the conversation back in the direction she was aiming for. "As I got older I started thinking it would be cool to be a pilot. You know, see the world and have someone else pay for it. Plus I really love planes."

"At least being an agent allows you to see the world."

"Not really. I may have a lot of stamps in my passport, but there's rarely time to go out and explore. But I am a trained to fly, so that's something."

Chuck pulled back, prompting Sarah to turn her head and meet his gaze. "Big commercial airliners or smaller aircraft?" he asked, the awe in his voice evident.

"Both, actually." She could see the excitement sparkle in his eyes. "What?"

"Sarah, would you still like to be a pilot? If you weren't an agent I mean?"

"I haven't really considered it." Then she realized what he was driving at. The future. It wasn't something she thought about, there wasn't much point in her line of work, but given how her life had changed over the past few months, she probably couldn't put it off for much longer.

"Maybe you should," Chuck suggested, "you know, as something to fall back on. Look, I don't want to tell you how to live your life, and as I've said before, I'll support any decisions you make, but if your adamant about staying, and I really hope you are, I don't want you to give up anything, though I realize life doesn't work that way, so just think about it. You never know what might happen." He stopped for a much needed breath.

"You make a good point," she smiled. "So what are your plans for the future, Chuck Bartowski?" They'd had that conversation before, but circumstances were different.

"I have no idea," he answered sheepishly. "Maybe I could become a steward and fly with you all over the globe."

Sarah giggled. "I think you might be a little tall for that."

"Okay, then how about your personal…"

"…baggage handler," they said at the same time and laughed.

Sarah leaned slightly away from Chuck and her hand reached up to cup his cheek, her eyes searching his face. "I guess we'll just have to figure it out together."

* * *

"Do you want to come up for coffee?" Chuck joked as they stopped in front of the apartment building.

"It's too late for caffeine," Sarah retorted.

"I have decaf. And I really want to show you my etchings." He gave her the eyebrow dance, earning himself a playful slap on the chest.

"I have a rather important phone call to make." Chuck's face fell and Sarah leaned over the console to give him a quick kiss. "I'll make it up to you, I promise." At that his face lit up again and he moved in for another kiss.

Sarah watched him disappear through the gates before she got out to gather her overnight bag and jacket from the trunk. She quietly made her way to the Morgan door, peeking inside to make sure Chuck wasn't in his bedroom. Once inside, she locked the window. She perked her ears and heard water running in the bathroom. Taking the opportunity, she stripped down to her underwear and slipped the Buy More jacket on. She froze when she heard the echo of a grunt. Grabbing her phone, she dialed Casey.

"A warning would be nice," he answered gruffly. "That is not what I want to see when I walk out of the kitchen. I have tuna salad all over my floor now, thank you very much."

"How much did you see?" Sarah hissed, more angry at herself for forgetting about the cameras.

"Two minutes earlier and I would have been blind."

"The same goes for five from now," Sarah responded, relieved that she was saved from inadvertently giving her partner a free strip show. She wasn't worried about the footage. Parts of it had a habit of disappearing.

"Roger that," Casey grunted and the line went dead.

As a precaution, Sarah made sure to unplug Chuck's computer and flat screen. She had just finished lighting the candles positioned around the room when she heard the bathroom door open. She flipped the light switch and hopped onto the mattress, stretched out on her side with her head propped up on one arm.

The bedroom door opened slowly, but Chuck's attention was fixed on his phone. He blindly reached for the charger and plugged it in without his eyes leaving the screen. When he looked up, she saw him frown.

"Why is it so dark in here?" He turned and his eyes nearly popped out. "Oh, hi-ho!"

"The date's not over, Chuck."

He nodded slowly in response, standing frozen by the side of the bed. Sarah rolled onto her knees and walked across the mattress. When she reached him, she caught his face and gently brushed her lips over his. The contact snapped Chuck out of his stupor. His hands tangled in her hair as his tongue encouraged her to part her lips. She complied, letting out a soft moan when the kiss deepened. She ran her hands over his shoulder blades and down his back until she encountered the towel tied around his waist. With a small tug it pooled around his feet.

Chuck broke off the kiss in stages, placing gentle, fluttering kisses on the corners of her mouth, making her weak in the knees and wanting more. She chased him with her lips, and he caught the bottom one in his teeth before letting go. Sarah's eyes fluttered open, meeting his heated gaze.

"I'll never look at the Buy More uniform the same again," he whispered hoarsely when his fingers reached for the zipper tab, pulling it down slowly. Sarah's breath hitched at the bold move. He stopped short of the bottom, slipped his hand inside the jacket and curled his fingers around her hip. With the other he slid the material from her shoulder, following its path with his lips and tongue.

"I'm trying to seduce _you,_" she breathed. "You're making it rather difficult."

"Mission accomplished," he spoke between kisses, "showing up dressed like this…" He trailed off when his mouth found the spot where her neck and shoulder met.

Her own fingers fumbled with the zipper, unhooking it. Chuck helped her to shrug out of the garment before dropping it on the discarded towel.

* * *

**A/N:** No spoilers today, but I'll see you back here around the second week of September. Take care and stay safe.


	15. Chapter 15

**A Common Spy Problem**

**A/N:** The Wallabies are going to win the Rugby World Cup. Okay, probably not, but…hang on, wrong forum. So I hope some of you remember this – I haven't done a 'Previously on A Common Spy Problem', but basically, Chuck & Sarah were allowed to have a low-key relationship, they've been putting bunnies to shame, and now they have to find their 'coupley' feet. This chapter is a little shorter than what I normally post, but don't worry, the next one is almost done. It's more AU than this one, and a little less angsty than cannon.

To my immense frustration, my service provider no longer sees the need for providing a reliable service (as my Twitter followers are well aware, given my occasional rants), so if you don't get a reply for the reviews on this chapter, I'll give you their call center number and you can give them an earful. Your reviews have been awesome, though, so thanks for making my day. Activity on the site seems to be a bit down, but for those of you still around, I hope you've checked out Quistie64's Chuck vs. The Sound of Music. It's guaranteed to be one of your favorite things. Yes, that's a terrible pun, but since when have puns been anything but terrible?

Thanks to Nervert for the beta. He had some pretty great suggestions which I have ignored, you're getting a bit ahead here, buddy ;).

I don't own Chuck, but one month from today, I will be tuning in for the season premiere.

Lastly: Dear Wallabies, just give it your best.

* * *

Chapter 15

Sarah was lightly jostled from her sleep. Inhaling deeply, she opened one eye and snuck a peek at the digits on the alarm clock before tilting her head. When she met Chuck's gaze, she pouted. "No."

He gave her a lopsided smile. "I'm sorry."

"You don't sound sorry," she mumbled and snuggled back into his chest. "What's our rule?"

Chuck faked a sigh. "No waking my girlfriend before eight. Unfortunately, I need my handler this morning."

"I'll handle you all you want," she murmured and closed her eyes, "just let me sleep a few more minutes." Her intention was thwarted when Chuck shook under her cheek with silent laughter. She opened her eye again, raising her eyebrow high.

"If you think that was funny, I must be losing my touch."

"Never." He shook his head to emphasize the point. "But you are adorable when you're sleepy."

"I'm immune to flattery," Sarah deadpanned, trying her best to hide the fact that she was actually reveling in the compliment.

"That's a shame. I was about to tell you how beautiful you look first thing in the morning." To that she responded with a disbelieving snort and burrowed further into his side. Chuck didn't leave her in peace though. "Baby, I need to clock in in forty minutes."

"Fine," Sarah sighed and rolled onto her back. She hugged the covers tightly in an attempt to replace his body heat, but they were a poor substitute. "Emmett has completely lost his mind. What are you even going to be doing at the store for two hours before it opens?"

"It's the day before Christmas, sweetie. We have to get ready for the people who put off shopping until the last minute. All the merchandise needs to be re-priced and the staff has to be briefed on the no-eggnog-no-mistletoe rules…again." Chuck threw the covers off and straightened. "And I promised Ellie I'll let her and Devon in before the crowds descend." He stretched his arms over his head and yawned. Sarah had yet to move.

"Uh, Sarah, you need to get up too. Casey had to go get more gift wrapping supplies and he asked if you can cover for him this morning. Which is actually a good thing, because with all those band aids he's sporting, I doubt he can even hold a gun."

"Don't let him hear you say that. He'll shoot you just to prove you wrong."

He chuckled nervously. "My lips are sealed."

Sarah watched as Chuck rummaged through his drawers for clean boxers. He tucked a pair under his arm before opening a second drawer. "White, blue or black?" he asked without turning and she was momentarily stunned. Chuck was her shy nerd, and despite his confidence in the bedroom, which still surprised her every time, she didn't think some things would ever change, like him being comfortable going through her underwear.

"It's commando Wednesday," she responded with a mischievous grin.

Chuck spun around, his face flushed and Sarah suppressed a snort. He was still her Chuck, all right. Realizing that he'd been played, he crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his head to the side, giving her a stern look, but she was not about to concede that easily. She propped herself up on her arms and shrugged, making sure to jut out her chest in the process. His eyes dropped involuntarily for a few beats and then his resolve wavered.

Without a word, he placed his boxers on the desk and stalked over to her side of the bed. Sarah resisted the urge to shift, curios to see his next move. When his knees hit the mattress, he leaned forward and planted his hands on either side of her elbows. He swung a leg over hers, hovering above her. She stared up at him wide-eyed. His head lowered slowly and Sarah's mouth went dry when his breath ghosted over her lips. Her eyes drifted close, but the kiss never came.

"Last one in the shower buys lunch."

Sarah's eyes snapped open just in time to see Chuck hop off the other side of the bed.

"You're gonna pay for that, Chuck Bartowski!" she called after him when he disappeared down the hall, his laughter drifting back to the bedroom. With a groan, she fell back onto the pillow, a hand on her forehead as she tried to regulate her breathing.

* * *

The Buy More Plaza was deserted, save for two identical silver Toyota's parked in front of the electronics store.

"Are you still pouting?" Chuck asked warily after the Porsche came to a stop. His question pulled Sarah from her thoughts.

"What? Oh, no, I wasn't, it's just…" She risked a glance in his direction. As she expected, he was turned in his seat, giving her his full attention. Sarah bit her bottom lip, not sure how to start. She had no problem letting him in on her secrets, she'd been slowly opening up for weeks, but for some reason the conversation they'd once had outside the fountain, about Chuck wanting someone normal, was nagging in the back of her mind. If she told him this, he'd probably think that she was weird. But if she didn't, if she just went along and pretended that everything was okay, that would be lying, and she wasn't really comfortable adding to that side of the equation.

Releasing a deep breath, Sarah chastised herself for putting this off till the last minute. "Chuck, about tomorrow, I'm afraid I can't make it."

"You're going to miss Christmas at the Bartowski's? Why? Is your dad back in town? Or are you visiting some other relatives?" He fired the questions in quick succession.

Sarah cringed inwardly. "No," she answered slowly, her thumb nail tracing a groove on the steering wheel. Then she suddenly looked up at him. "Chuck, I don't do Christmas."

Chuck blinked, clearly taken aback. "I'm sorry, I think you just said you don't do Christmas."

She shrugged noncommittally and gave him a small smile, hoping to reassure him that it was not a big deal. He didn't fall for it.

"But it's Christmas. I'm not buying the whole Scrooge act, okay." He started gesturing wildly, despite the small space. "Underneath that spy cover is a regular person just like the rest of us. I mean, honestly, how weird could Christmas have been for you?"

In an effort to stall, Sarah wordlessly pulled the key from the ignition and got out of the car. Chuck followed suit, staying on his side of the Porsche with his arms resting across the top. He pinned her with a questioning look.

"Christmas at the Burton household meant the annual Salvation Army con job." Sarah didn't elaborate.

"Okay." Chuck backed away from the car and rounded the hood. "So, okay, you're a little different than the rest of us." He stopped in front of her, so close that she had to tilt her head back to look at him. Then he reached for her hands, swaying their arms playfully before continuing. "But Christmas at the Bartowski's means eggnog, pj's, a fake gas fireplace and that's right, Twilight Zone marathons." His brilliant smile elicited one in response. "I'm not taking no for an answer, sweetheart, so prepare to be heart warmed."

"You sound very sure of yourself." His offer was tempting, but given her history, she didn't want to spoil the day for them. Chuck's enthusiasm got to her though, and she decided that she could probably give it a shot, even if it was only to please him.

"I am," he confirmed. "You see, this is all part of my five year plan. Now that I finally have one, I'm determined to see it through."

Sarah raised a surprised eyebrow. "And what exactly does you five year plan entail?"

"Well," he drawled, and she felt his hands get a little clammy, "It's, uhm, it's complicated."

"Oh, really?" she asked skeptically.

Chuck wavered under her gaze, stopping mid-nod. "No, not really," he admitted. "If you must know, I guess I can let you in on the highlights at least, but nothing is cast in stone, I just thought it would be good to start somewhere and…"

"Chuck," she cut him off, "stop stalling."

"Okay." He sighed in resignation. "Now that we're together, it mainly centers around keeping you and making you happy." A faint blush crept up his neck.

It took Sarah a moment to respond. She was not expecting that. "What about the things you want for yourself?" she eventually asked.

"It's on there too," he shrugged.

With a slight shake of her head, Sarah stood on her toes, her face inches from his. "Good," she whispered and extracted her hand from his to curl her fingers around the base of his neck. "And for the record, as far as the two points you've mentioned, I'd say: check and check."

They were lost in their own world until a loud "Ahem" caused them to jump apart.

"Bartowski!" Big Mike boomed, "You're late!"

* * *

Sarah went downstairs to Castle first to turn on the monitors. She watched the feed for a few minutes, but got bored with staring at the Buy More crew nailed down in front of the wall of televisions. The store was still locked down, so she decided that Chuck would be safe. As safe as anyone could be around Jeff and Lester anyway. She activated the perimeter alarms as a precaution and went back up to the store. The yogurt machine started to quietly hum when she flipped the switch. She grabbed the topping cups from the storage cupboard and placed them in their usual spots on the display counter. Next she reached for her apron and tied it around her waist. It wasn't really functional in terms of food service, but it did come in handy to hide extra throwing knives. She was finishing with the knot when her eyes caught the promotional poster against the far wall. It depicted a family, a dad, mom and two kids on Christmas morning. Sarah's hands froze.

She'd never had that, at least, not as far as she could remember. Her dad was always off somewhere during the holidays, even before the divorce. The year she spent with her Gran, they celebrated, but it was just the two of them. The meal was not traditional, not like the ones she'd seen on TV, but her grandmother bought her a stuffed horse. And her dad made her leave it behind when he showed up in the middle of the night to take her with him. Sarah closed her eyes to banish the memories back to the corner of her mind where she'd locked them away a long time ago. It had been relatively easy to forget since she had joined the CIA. One day was very much like the next.

That was all about to change. She was hesitant to spend the day with Chuck and his family, scared she'd say or do something to put a damper on the occasion, but after his little speech earlier, she found it hard to say no. Besides, he knew the situation now and he would find a way to make it easier for her. That's what Chuck did, he helped.

Then it occurred to her that she hadn't given him a definite answer.

She glanced across the lot and noticed that the Buy More was yet to open for business. After they're little display from this morning, it was doubtful that Big Mike would be keen to let her in to distract one of his star employees. Of course she could sneak in through the secret entrance from Castle, but if someone saw her, her presence would be impossible to explain, and given that the store was expected to be extremely busy, she would probably not be able to catch Chuck alone before closing time.

She was about to call him when she heard sirens blare outside.

Her eyes snapped up as an early model VW sped past parked cars, followed by five patrol vehicles. Her breath caught as she watched it crash through the Buy More doors. Seconds later she was in front of a monitor in Castle, just in time to see the driver exit and start waving a gun around. She zoomed in on the weapon and breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed he had the safety on. This guy was obviously an amateur.

* * *

"I can't believe you talked Beckman into this," Casey grunted as they made their way to the Buy More through the break room entrance. He was clearly irked that he didn't get to play with the Christmas gift he bought himself. Sarah ignored him, as she had done the previous three times. She was more concerned with the major flaw in her plan. Chuck would never allow himself to be extracted while he thought Ellie and his friends were still in danger. It was still better than going in guns blazing as per Casey's earlier suggestion. This way they could be close to Chuck to protect him, while not blowing his cover.

What was not part of Sarah's plan was Casey losing a toe. She hoped General Beckman would have more sympathy with that than she had with his paper cuts.

The atmosphere in the store was tense immediately after the gun shot, but after Ellie and Devon bandaged Casey's foot the excitement seemed to die down. People were standing around awkwardly, not really knowing what to do next. Ellie had taken a seat on an oversized gift wrapped box and Sarah on a smaller one nearby. She couldn't hover over Chuck without arousing suspicion and she figured from her current position she could keep an eye on him without being too far away, and she could protect Ellie too if need be. Her attention shifted briefly to the front doors, wondering what was taking the SWAT team so long.

"Are you okay?"

Ellie's question snapped Sarah's focus back to her immediate surroundings, and her cover. "I'm just scared. I've never been this close to a gun before."

"Yeah, me neither," Ellie responded, and Sarah felt guilty for her lie. She'd forgotten what it was like, being truly afraid of things like weapons and hostage takers and the like. "You know what," Ellie continued, "We'll be okay. We just have to stick together."

Sarah didn't say anything, but instead gave Ellie an encouraging smile. She was touched that Ellie had extended her role as older sister to include her. Just then the store's phone rang and gunman Ned ordered Chuck to answer it. Sarah couldn't help but be proud of the way Chuck had stepped up and taken control of the situation. A part of her was terrified that he could get hurt, but so far, he'd been great. He had managed to keep Ned calm and the other hostages followed his lead. There was a brief standoff with Devon, but after a stern warning, backed up by Ellie, Captain Awesome had no choice but to keep back, at least for the time being.

Chuck convinced Ned to let everyone make a call to their families. People scattered out around the shop floor, trying to find a bit of privacy. Sarah wandered aimlessly among them, acutely aware that, aside from Morgan and Anna who seemed to be fighting with each other, she was the only one not on the phone with someone. She even spotted Casey, hidden behind a Christmas tree, talking on his mobile. She tried to convince herself that it didn't matter that she had no one to call, her dad was off who knows where, and she hadn't spoken to her mother in years, but she couldn't help the twinge of loneliness that settled in her gut.

As if on cue, her phone rang. Sarah fished it out of her pocket and smiled down at the screen. She might not be close to her family, but she had Chuck, and by extension his, and that was more than enough.

"Hi, Chuck." She immediately scanned the store for him. "Where are you?"

"DVDs. I'm in the romantic comedy section, although, for irony's sake, I suppose I should probably be in hostage thrillers."

She kept her phone pressed to her ear until she rounded the isle where he was crouched down out of sight. They shared a smile and hung up simultaneously. She knelt down in front of him, folding her hands in her lap.

"So, Ned let everyone call their loved ones. Thanks for calling me."

"Well, you are my girlfriend." He covered her hands with his and gave them a squeeze.

"So does that mean your offer still stands for Christmas?"

His smile widened. "See, I knew you could be heart warmed." His other hand reached for his pocket. "I actually, uhm, I have something for you." He withdrew a small black pouch. "I was going to give it to you tomorrow, but considering the circumstances, I kinda wanna give it to you today."

"Chuck, we're gonna get out of here. We'll be fine, I promise." Her last word was barely audible when her eyes fell on the silver charm bracelet dangling from his fingers. "Wow, that's beautiful."

"It's good luck," he explained as he undid the clasp. Sarah held out her arm and he fastened it around her wrist before his fingers trailed down her palm to capture her hand. "It was my mom's charm bracelet. My dad gave it to her when Ellie was born."

Sarah stared at it for a second, taking in the significance of the gift. He had given her a family heirloom. Her heart skipped a beat when she met his gaze. She didn't know what to say, so instead she pushed up on her knees and framed his face. Chuck met her halfway and she poured everything she didn't know how to say into her kiss. He reciprocated in kind, accepting her gratitude as his lips moved slowly over hers.

The phone rang again and they pulled apart reluctantly. Chuck gave her a wistful smile. "Duty calls."

* * *

Things were finally coming to a head when Ned allowed the hostage negotiator to enter the store just as the CIA backup team, disguised as SWAT, arrived. Lieutenant Mauser convinced Ned to let a couple of hostages free, and to Casey and Sarah's dismay, they were the chosen ones, given Casey's injury and Ned returning Chuck's kindness by letting his girlfriend go. They could not refuse without blowing their covers.

On the way out, Sarah paused and wrapped her arms around Chuck's neck, pulling him flush against her. Rationally she knew it would all be over soon, but she made the promise anyway. "Chuck, it's okay," she whispered into his ear, "Trust me, I will never let anyone hurt you."

* * *

_**Next time on A Common Spy Problem:**_

_Sarah wanted to protest, tell him she could take care of it, but something in his body language told her he needed to do this, so she let him. _

"_This is going to sting," he warned before lightly dabbing the cream on the cut on her lower lip. Sarah kept still, despite the slight burn. Her eyes were focused on his face, so when his hand came to rest on her side, it took her by surprise and she winced. Chuck's hand shot of her body and he took a step back._

"_Lift up your shirt," he ordered quietly, but Sarah remained motionless._

"_Chuck, it's okay. It's just a bruise."_


	16. Chapter 16

**A Common Spy Problem**

**A/N: **I have learned three things this past two weeks – one, never tell readers you're almost done with a chapter, it's a sure way to jinx yourself and end up rewriting half of it; two, Kindle plus Tess Gerritsen is an evil combination; and three, don't give your cat coffee.

As always, **Nervert **did an awesome job beta'ing this. The really cool part is that I send off an e-mail, go to bed and the next morning – voila! Thanks for the hard work, buddy, as well as your nerd and science/medical knowledge.

I want to give a special shout-out to **Tynianrex** – welcome back! We missed you.

My second shout-out goes to **Crumby**, _merci pour la revue 350e_. (If that's wrong, blame Google Translate, if not, then never mind.) Of course, review #350 would not have been possible without reviews 1 to 349, so a big thank you to everyone who has taken the time to leave me a comment.

I don't own Chuck.

* * *

Chapter 16

Sarah knew almost immediately something wasn't right. The fact that Casey followed her silently when she took of racing for Castle told her he was on the same page. The sprint across the parking lot gave her just enough time to imagine several nightmare scenarios, the worst of which was confirmed downstairs as they pulled up Ned's phone records and subsequently Mauser's personnel file. The entire hostage situation had been a set-up. Casey and Sarah shared a knowing look. There was only one reason Fulcrum would come snooping around the Buy More – they were after the Intersect.

The woman wearing the charm bracelet given to her by the most amazing man she'd ever met disappeared in an instant, replaced by the agent and handler who would do anything to keep her charge safe.

She hastily collected her gear, determined to return to the Buy More and extract Chuck, by force if necessary, but then her worst fear was confirmed when they saw Chuck on the monitors being led away by Mauser.

Moments later she and Casey burst through the underground exit to the parking area, firing on the vehicle that was carrying Chuck away, causing it to crash into the neighboring Christmas tree lot. Chuck jumped out and disappeared between the trees. When Mauser emerged, Sarah fired a shot but missed, allowing him to follow Chuck into the lot. She took off in the same direction, motioning to Casey to go around the back.

With her gun drawn, Sarah quietly navigated her way through rows and rows of pine trees. She watched her footing, careful to not step on anything that could give away her position. She rounded the last tree in the row, scanning her surroundings for any movement. A flash of white caught her eye and relief washed over her that she'd found Chuck first, before Mauser had. She moved soundlessly up behind him, clasping her hand over his mouth. The move startled him and he grabbed her wrist. His fingers found the charm bracelet and he spun around.

"Lieutenant Mauser is Fulcrum so is Ned it was all a setup." It all came out in one breath. Chuck was clearly freaking out.

"I know." Sarah kept her voice low, hoping that Mauser hadn't heard Chuck. She didn't want him finding them before she had a chance to get Chuck to safety.

"Everyone in the store is still in danger."

"Our team is moving in on them right now, they'll be fine," she assured him. "I need you to run back as fast as you can to Castle."

"I can't leave you alone with this guy."

"Chuck, your safety is more important than mine. Now leave and don't turn back. Go." She reached up and gave him a peck on the lips before shoving him in the direction of the exit. "I'll be fine. Go." After another moment's hesitation he finally turned and started running. Sarah lifted her weapon again and stalked in the opposite direction, her heart pounding loudly in her ears.

She saw the movement too late.

Mauser jumped out from behind a tree, kicking her weapon from her hand. That was quickly followed by a backhand slap across her cheek, causing her to reel backwards. He lunged forward in an attempt to knock her unconscious with the butt of his gun, but Sarah grabbed his wrist, used his momentum to swing him around and slammed his arm down on her thigh. His grip loosened and he dropped his weapon. She threw a right hook which he blocked, grabbing her ponytail in the process. He yanked and her hands instinctively flew up to his, leaving her unprotected for the punch in the gut. She wasn't fast enough to tense her abdominal muscles and doubled over in pain, but not before Mauser landed another punch in almost the same spot. A right jabs connected with her jaw and she spun out of his grip with the force of the hit. In the same movement Sarah attempted a roundhouse kick, only to have Mauser grab her leg and sweep the other from under her. She fell on her side and he delivered three swift kicks to her ribs, laughing as he did so. Sarah ground on her teeth and rolled onto her back, hooking her feet around his ankle to push him off balance, but Mauser stood firm. He reached down and with both hands gripped her throat and squeezed. Sarah clawed at his wrists, leaning forward to try and lessen the pressure. Mauser tightened his hold and her lungs started to burn due to a lack of air. She went limp for a moment, gathering all the energy she had left. She hooked her leg around his knees and rolled forward, finally throwing Mauser off of her. She jumped to her feet, leaped for her gun and had it pointed at him before he had a chance to get up.

She aimed it right at his head, tracking his movements as he straightened with a grunt. "You may have beaten me, Agent Walker, but Fulcrum has won. I know that Chuck Bartowski is the Intersect."

"That secret is safe," she countered, "And you're going straight to a CIA detention facility, never to be seen or heard from again."

"Well, you go right ahead, Agent Walker, arrest me." He offered his wrists to be cuffed. "But say goodbye to Chuck. You see, I'm not like those other Fulcrum agents. They'll do whatever it takes to find me and when they do, every Fulcrum agent we have is gonna know Chuck's the Intersect." He paused, gauging her reaction. "It's gonna be the end of his pathetic existence," he continued, knowing he was getting to her. "So take me in, Agent Walker, I'm ready to go." He smirked as he folded his hands behind his head.

Sarah lowered her gun, deciding what to do. Their detention facility had not been compromised yet, but could she take the chance that it wouldn't be? One Fulcrum agent who knew Chuck's real identity was one too many. She couldn't risk it. She wouldn't. She needed to keep Chuck safe. She promised him. There was really only one option. She took a deep breath to strengthen her resolve. Clenching her jaw, she raised her arm, looking Mauser straight in eye. The face of a nameless brunette in a quiet Parisian street appeared in front of her. She blinked the image away and a look of determination crossed her face. She tightened her grip on the Smith and Wesson and squeezed the trigger. The shot was muffled by the silencer, but it echoed in her ears when Mauser went down.

Her aim didn't waver, despite the fact that the only thing in the firing line now was a pine tree. She didn't dare look down where Mauser lay. There was no need to check for a pulse. Her execution was flawless. It was a kill shot, not return fire by an agent under threat, or the frightened reaction of a nineteen year old trainee, forced by circumstances to follow an order she would rather have walked away from.

A large hand wrapped around the barrel of her gun and pushed it down, pointing at the ground.

"I'll take care of this," Casey said gruffly. "Go get yourself cleaned up and check on Chuck."

* * *

Sarah couldn't remember the last time she was such a mess. Her muscles ached, her skin was on fire, her side stung with every step she took and it hurt to breathe. And that was just her physical injuries. She kept seeing Mauser's face just before she'd pulled the trigger, kept seeing his smirk, hearing his taunts.

Her body screamed in protest when she suddenly froze. She had expected Chuck to go back to the store to make sure Ellie and his friends were okay, but instead, he sat on the desk, his legs dangling down the side. She took a calming breath and schooled her features before stepping into the conference area. She hadn't figured out what to tell Chuck yet. She didn't want to lie, but she couldn't imagine telling him the truth. She wasn't even sure what the truth was.

"Oh my god." Chuck jumped from the table and reached her in two long strides. With a finger under her chin he lifted her face to get a better view. "What happened?"

"Occupational hazard," Sarah responded lightly, but his worried expression didn't relax. Instead, he reached for her hand.

"Come with me." It wasn't exactly a request.

He led her to the back room where they kept the medical supplies and switched on the light.

"Where's the first aid kit?" he asked after helping her to get up on the gurney. She pointed to the top left cupboard while wiping her lip with the back of her other hand. At least the bleeding had stopped. Chuck placed the kit next to her and rummaged through it for cotton balls and antiseptic cream. He turned to the sink to wet some of the cotton swabs.

Sarah wanted to protest, tell him she could take care of it, but something in his body language told her he needed to do this, so she let him.

He gently wiped away the dried blood on the corner of her mouth before reaching for clean swabs and the squirting cream on it.

"This is going to sting," he warned. Sarah kept still, despite the slight burn, while he dabbed the cut on her lower lip. Her eyes were focused on his face, so when his hand came to rest on her side, it took her by surprise and she winced. Chuck's hand shot off her body and he took a step back.

"Lift up your shirt," he ordered quietly, but Sarah remained motionless.

"Chuck, it's okay. It's just a bruise." She knew she couldn't keep the extent of her injuries from him, they shared a bed and he was bound to notice, but she wasn't ready yet to explain what had happened. She was on an emotional overload and if she let herself be vulnerable now, she might just tell him what she'd really done.

Instead of asking again, Chuck stepped closer and unzipped her jacket. Sarah found herself unable to stop him. She squeezed her eyes shut and concentrated on keeping her breathing steady. She was not equipped to deal with this, with someone who cared about her this much. She felt her jacket part and Chuck sliding the tank top up her torso. His hand stilled and she didn't miss the expletive he voiced. "Sarah, what did he do to you?"

"He got in a couple of kicks and punches," she admitted reluctantly.

"I'm taking you to a hospital."

Sarah's eyes snapped open. "I'm fine, Chuck. There's really no need for that."

"You could have internal injuries," he protested. "Your ribs could be cracked, if not broken."

She placed a hand on his arm to calm him down. "It's not as bad as it looks, I promise." She reached for a cold pack from the medical kit and held it out to him. "This will help."

Chuck didn't look convinced, but as per her instructions, he cracked the back on his knee to activate it and held it to her side, careful to not apply too much pressure. "I know this is part of your job," he spoke without looking at her, "but I hate that you got hurt."

Sarah swallowed the lump that threatened to form in her throat as she combed her fingers through his curls. "I know."

Once done, he pulled her shirt down and put her hand over the pack to hold it in place. Then he tilted her head back again with a finger under her chin. "What about these?" His thumb stroked down the column of her neck where Mauser had tried to choke her.

"I have concealer in my locker. I'll cover it up before we go upstairs."

His hand came to rest on her shoulder. "Did he get you anywhere else?"

Sarah shook her head and sighed tiredly when he pressed his lips to her forehead. She snaked an arm around his waist to keep him close. "Thanks, Chuck."

"Speaking about Mauser," he pulled his head back to look at her, "what happened to him?"

Sarah's heart leaped into her throat. "I arrested him. Casey is taking him to a secure facility as we speak." It was the first response that had jumped to mind. Chuck's expression changed into a mix of fear and something she couldn't decipher. "Chuck, it's okay. He's gonna go to jail. He'll never bother you again."

It took him a few beats to respond. "Good," he said evenly, stepping out of Sarah's one-arm embrace. "So everyone's safe now." He glanced down at his watch. "Ellie's probably worried, so we better get back to the Buy More."

"Yeah," Sarah responded, grateful for the change in topic. "I'll just go fix this," she gestured to her neck as she slipped of the gurney, "and then we can go."

"Good," Chuck said again, a little too enthusiastically this time, causing her to pause and turn at the door. Something was wrong. She watched him as he started to clean up. With his back to her he discarded the used medical supplies, then restocked the first aid kit before returning it to where he'd found it earlier. Maybe she imagined it, Sarah decided. Putting it down to them having had a stressful and exhausting day, she left.

* * *

Sarah stared in the mirror for a long time. She had applied concealer to the angry red marks on her throat and was presentable to appear in public again, but her legs refused to move.

She had lied to Chuck.

If this had been just another mission and he was purely another asset, she could justify her actions in a hundred different ways, but now that she'd been compromised, she had no idea what consequences she'd have to face. Their worlds were so different, and she had no idea how Chuck would have reacted had she told him what really happened to Mauser. He hadn't judged her before when he found out about her childhood, but shooting another person in cold blood was a lot different than imagining her conning some random housewife out of money with a fake cookie order. Of course Chuck wasn't stupid. Subconsciously he had to have known that she'd done it before, but the idea was abstract, the mark had never been someone he'd met.

She kept telling herself that she was protecting him, but if she was completely honest, she was protecting herself too.

* * *

The Buy More was a flurry of activity. Members from the local P.D. were getting statements from some of the green shirts, while two EMTs were loading Lester on a stretcher. The cleanup crew had already removed Ned's car and the only evidence that remained was debris scattered along the main passage of the store. Big Mike, still in his Santa suit but minus the hat and fake beard, shared a donut with a uniformed officer who could be mistaken for his twin. Morgan sat on the Nerd Herd desk, his legs dangling listlessly and looking like someone killed his puppy.

Sarah finally spotted Devon and Ellie and grabbed Chuck's hand, tugging him along in their direction.

"Merry Christmas, guys." Devon was the first to extend season's greeting. Sarah returned the sentiment, steeling herself for the impact when he offered her a hug while Ellie had Chuck wrapped up in a sisterly embrace.

"It's not one we're gonna forget soon," Ellie quipped as she turned to Sarah. Her eyes fell on Sarah's wrist. "Oh, that looks fantastic on you."

"Thank you," Sarah replied shyly.

Ellie lifted Sarah's hand and they both watched as the light bounced off the charms. Ellie ran her thumb along the chain. "I'm so glad that it fit."

"Yeah, me too." Sarah's gaze lifted, seeking out Chuck's. When their eyes met, she purposefully pushed down the guilt she felt since their conversation at Castle and smiled at him. He was safe. That was all that mattered.

* * *

It was well past midnight when they made it back to the apartment. Devon and Ellie had gone straight to bed, leaving Chuck and Sarah alone in the living room. They worked quietly side by side, rearranging the gifts under the tree to fit in the ones Sarah had bought. Big Mike had been so grateful for an actual sale on Christmas Eve that he'd even forgone the fifteen percent price hike.

"All done," Chuck announced and straightened. He picked up his mug from the coffee table and downed the last of his drink before he motioned in the direction of the bathroom. "Do you mind if I go first? I'd really like to shower this day off of me."

"Sure," Sarah replied and he mumbled a 'thanks'. Once he'd disappeared down the hall, she sank onto the couch, her fingers wrapped around her own hot chocolate. The lights were turned down and she sat in the glow of the Christmas lights, taking in the decorations Ellie had put up. She tried to figure out if it looked the same as last year, but back then she hadn't paid much attention. She had been too busy yelling at Chuck for blowing the Lon Kirk mission, telling him that the kiss was a mistake. Sarah closed her eyes and blew out a breath. Apparently Christmas and lying went hand in hand for her.

* * *

Chuck was asleep by the time Sarah entered the bedroom. She was partly relieved and quietly crawled in next to him. She switched off the bedside lamp before lying down to face the ceiling. It had been weeks since she had time to reflect before falling asleep, but that was the last thing she was in the mood for. It felt like she'd done nothing but think since she had left the tree lot.

She turned onto her side to face Chuck. His brows were furrowed and every once in a while she spotted his eyelids fluttering. He was still suffering the aftermath of today, even in his sleep.

This was her fault, Sarah decided. She shouldn't have downplayed the hostage situation. Her background check on Ned should have been more thorough. If they had realized the extent of the threat sooner, the whole situation would have gone down so much differently. She would never have allowed Chuck to talk her into letting him stay. Or she and Casey could have taken down Ned in the break room. Then again, had that happened, they might not have found out about Mauser until it was too late. He would have kept sending agents until he was caught, or worse, got his hands on Chuck. Reluctant as she was to admit it, the mission had been a success.

Sarah resisted the urge to reach over and touch Chuck, not wanting to wake him. It seemed strange, staying on her side of the bed. She desperately wanted to cuddle up to him, lie in his arms and forget about Mauser and the fact that she'd executed him, but her conscious wouldn't let her. Instead, she pushed up onto her elbow.

"Chuck," she whispered and waited. He didn't respond. "Chuck, can you hear me?" Satisfied that he was sound asleep, she lay back down and folded her hands under her cheek. "I'm so sorry about everything that happened today." It felt weird talking to someone who wasn't even listening, but once the floodgate was open, she found it difficult to stop the flow of words.

"I shouldn't have…I did what I thought…the truth is I couldn't tell you because then I'd have to dissect my motives. If it wasn't all for the job…I never had to worry about anyone else before, about what I could lose. I didn't know it would scare me this much. I've got this big exposed Achilles heel and all I can think about is how to protect it." Her fingers found the pillowcase and she idly fiddled with one of its corners. "You don't deserve being lied to, I know that. It just seems like the harder I try not to screw this up, the more mistakes I make." She finally gave up on trying to keep her distance and shifted closer, laying her head on his shoulder. "Please don't give up on me, Chuck, not yet."

* * *

_**Next time on A Common Spy Problem:**_

_Still shaken from her dream, Sarah crossed to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Don't scare me like that." _

"_Come on, my cooking's not that bad." _


	17. Chapter 17

**A Common Spy Problem**

**A/N: **Once upon a time there was a story that went off grid for a while, but it's ba-ack. Now for those of you who can't remember, when we left off, Sarah had shot Mauser and lied to Chuck about it. Not awesome, Sarah. Also, you've left me bunches of reviews, so thanks for those.

Given the fact that Morgan is now zooming with the Intersect, it should be clear that I don't own Chuck.

Chapter 17

_Mauser smirked. "It's gonna be the end of his pathetic existence." _

_Sarah raised her arm, took aim and squeezed the trigger. The gunshot echoed through the quiet night air as Mauser crumpled to the ground. She turned around to face Chuck, sitting on the edge of the fountain. The fear she saw in his eyes disappeared and a look of determination crossed his face. He shook his head slowly. "You and I can never have a future together. I'm a normal guy who wants a normal life and as amazing as you are, Sarah Walker, we both know that you will never be normal."_

Sarah's eyes snapped open, her heart thumping in her throat. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, her hand searched the bed behind her, only to find cold sheets. She whipped around, scanning the room for any sign of Chuck. She was alone. She listened for sounds from the bathroom, but the apartment was quiet. Her heart started racing again. She jumped out of bed and was halfway to the door when she realized she was wearing only panties and one of Chuck's t-shirts. Pausing briefly, she grabbed a pair of his pajama bottoms from the drawer and pulled them on before making her way down the hall.

She found Chuck in the kitchen, cooking breakfast, and gave herself a mental shake for overreacting. He hadn't heard her approach, so she waited until he put the pan back on the stove after flipping a pancake. When he half turned to reach for batter he spotted her. "Hey, why are you up? It's still early."

Still shaken from her dream, Sarah crossed to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Don't scare me like that."

"Come on," he teased, "my cooking's not _that_ bad." He pulled back to look at her, frowning slightly. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," she answered breathily, running her palm across the side of his face to assure herself that he was real, that he was in fact standing in the kitchen, holding her. He didn't look convinced by her reply, but let it drop and stepped out of her embrace.

"The pancake's gonna burn," he explained and lifted the pan to let it slide onto the plate. "There's coffee," he spoke as he started a fresh pancake, pointing to the pot with his spatula.

Sarah poured them each a cup, added milk and sugar to Chuck's and slid it across to counter to him.

"Thanks," he said without turning. He reached for it with one hand while turning the bacon with the other.

Sarah took a sip of her own before putting the mug down and stepping up behind him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, needing the closeness, and stood on her toes to rest her chin on his shoulder. "I thought Devon usually makes breakfast."

"He and Ellie got called in early, something about a bus accident on the 101."

"That sounds horrible."

"Yeah."

Satisfied that the bacon was done, Chuck switched off the burner and turned his attention back to the pancake. He flipped it with a small flick of the wrist. Sarah watched, thinking that if she ever taught him how to throw a knife, he would be rather good at it. She shook off the thought. That was not something she wanted Chuck to learn. He didn't belong in the spy life, he was too good a person for that. As it was, he was in too deep already.

Chuck slid the last pancake onto the stack that was already threatening to tumble over. Sarah backed away, giving him room to move, then looked at the spread and groaned.

"After Ellie's Christmas feast I've promised myself I'd only eat fruit for the next week." Nonetheless she picked off a piece of pancake and popped it into her mouth, followed by another sip of coffee.

"Well, you're gonna need sustenance if you're going to keep punishing Emmett the way you do," Chuck spoke as he loaded two plates. Sarah nearly dropped her mug as she tried to not sputter all over the kitchen floor. "I mean your Emmett, not mine," he clarified.

"How do you know about that?" She'd been careful to avoid Chuck finding out about her sudden need to pummel the punch dummy in an effort to work through her guilt.

Chuck transferred their breakfast to the counter and followed Sarah to the other side of it where the stools were. "Casey made some comment in passing."

"What did he say?" she asked before she could stop herself.

"Something about you being frustrated because I'm hiding the peanut butter." He stuffed a fork full of food in his mouth, oblivious to Sarah trying not to choke for the second time in as many minutes. "I didn't even know you liked peanut butter all that much," Chuck shrugged after he'd swallowed.

When she didn't respond, he looked over at her and she felt a blush creep up her neck. His jaw went slack for a moment. "That's Casey's metaphor for… Seriously? Peanut butter?" His voice rose with indignation and he cleared his throat. "I wish he would just stick to his no talking about lady feelings policy."

Sarah shared the sentiment. Not only did Casey not possess the gift of subtlety, he inadvertently had an inside track on their love life, as he was responsible for surveillance on nights she didn't stay over. And she hadn't for the three nights following Christmas.

She'd been up until early each morning filing overdue reports and afterwards headed straight to her hotel for a couple of hours of restless sleep. Chuck had finally convinced her the night before to take a break and join them for movie night, but somewhere in the middle of the fourth fast and furious drag race, exhaustion had caught up with her and she'd blacked out. She remembered him waking her up to brush her teeth, change and get into bed, but as soon as her head hit the pillow, she fell asleep again. Casey would have noticed that too and probably kept the surveillance running.

The realization of what else Casey would have caught on tape, her in a weak moment, made her stomach churn and she pushed her plate away.

"What's wrong?" Chuck asked.

"I guess I'm not as hungry as I thought." Pushing down her concern about what Casey might or might not have seen, she met Chuck's gaze. "I'm sorry, I know you went to a lot of trouble."

"Don't worry about it," he replied as he attacked his own plate with gusto, "I'll take the leftovers to work. Morgan doesn't let anything go to waste." He winked at her and she conjured up a small smile for him. "Speaking of work," Chuck continued, "Casey asked if you could run a background check on the new green-shirt starting today. His name's Butterman and he's an old friend of Big Mike's, so personally I think he should be okay."

"Isn't that nepotism?" Sarah asked as she finished off the last of her coffee, trying not to think about the last background check she had run and how that had almost turned out.

"Big Mike's just helping him to comply with his parole conditions. He's being a good friend."

Sarah frowned, turning her attention fully to Chuck. "Parole? I thought you said he should be okay."

"Everyone deserves a second chance." Chuck jerked a shoulder. "Besides, he did time for insider trading, so I doubt he's dangerous." Sarah gave him a dubious look. "You don't have to take my word for it, run your check and see for yourself."

His comment put her on the defensive. "Chuck, I respect your opinion, I really do, but it's my job to make sure you are safe."

"I know."

He finished his last pancake and got up to start gathering the dishes. Sarah grabbed his wrist, forcing him to stop and look at her as she slid off her own stool. As she was barefoot, he looked down at her and one eyebrow arched when she didn't immediately say anything. Another beat of silence passed before she cocked her head.

"I think we need a night off. No spy stuff and no missions. We can do anything you want." It was a spur of the moment suggestion, but she figured they could use a time out. She needed to get her mind of the ghost of Mauser before she did irreversible damage to her relationship with Chuck.

Chuck's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

"Really," Sarah nodded.

He chewed his bottom lip, weighing his options. She saw his face light up, and half expected a light bulb to appear over his head, but just as quickly, it dropped.

"What?" she prompted as her hand slid down to his, giving it a squeeze.

"Well," Chuck started, a note of uncertainty in his voice, "you know Morgan has been down in the dumps over the Anna and Lester situation, and we haven't spent much time together since this crazy spy thing started, and even less after you and I started dating, for real I mean…"

"You want a boys' night with Morgan," Sarah cut in when it seemed Chuck was never going to get to the point.

"Game night," he corrected. "But only if that's okay with you. I don't believe in the whole bro's before ho…," he caught himself. "However," he quickly amended, "you are more than welcome to join us."

Sarah felt a stab of disappointment, despite the fact that she understood where he was coming from. Chuck might be the most important person in her life, but she had to share him with other people he cared about, though as an only child, she had trouble sharing. Seeing the now barely contained excitement on his face, she melted. She'd do anything for him. She had proven that already.

"That's sweet of you to invite me, Chuck, but I don't think we should be flaunting our relationship in front of Morgan."

"But you're okay with it?" he asked again.

"Of course," Sarah nodded. "I'll ask Casey to disable surveillance and give you guys some privacy." At that, Chuck beamed. "But only if you promise to keep your watch on and let us know if you get into any trouble."

"I promise."

She shot him a smile before letting go of his hand and glancing down at her watch. "I better go get ready." Standing on her toes, she brushed her lips over his cheek. "Thanks for breakfast."

"Sarah," Chuck called her back before she disappeared down the hall. With a hand on the doorway she turned. He was still smiling. "You're aces."

* * *

There was a knock on the bathroom door just as Sarah was putting her hair up in a clip. "It's open," she called and retied the towel that threatened to slip before she reached for her toothbrush.

Chuck's head appeared around the doorjamb and he pointed toward the shower. "Do you mind? I would let you finish, but Casey called, and I quote, 'we have to get our derrières to the store, as in yesterday'."

She waved him inside. "Derrières?"

Chuck's shoulders rose. "No idea. Maybe he's been reading Miss Manners."

"Doubtful. So, do we have a mission?" she asked before popping the toothbrush into her mouth.

"Nope, we have a rock star." His comment was muffled by the shirt he was pulling over his head.

Sarah shot him a questioning look in the mirror which he missed as finished undressing with his back to her. She rinsed, dabbed the corners of her mouth dry and turned, but Chuck was already in the shower.

"Chuck," she spoke loudly so he could hear her over the running water. "What rock star?"

"Tyler Martin," he half yelled back. "Apparently he had this huge promotion over at Large Mart, but they pulled the plug about the whole sex tape thing. I guess Big Mike heard about it and offered him the Buy More."

She imagined the Buy More was gonna need all hands on deck for crowd control, or more specifically, the hands that were actually sober and willing to work. She wanted to know more about Tyler Martin, personal curiosity mixed with some professional concern, but decided to wait until Chuck was done so they could have a conversation like civil human beings. Turning back to the mirror, she let her hair loose and fluffed it out with her fingers. Her eyes darted to Chuck's silhouette behind the fogged up shower door and she almost groaned. Avoiding him these past few days definitely had its drawbacks.

"So, Tyler Martin?" Sarah asked when Chuck finally emerged with a towel tied around his waist.

"Pfft," he waved it off. "That is one pop culture lesson we will be skipping. His music is overproduced, the lyrics are completely banal…I mean Facebook even has a group called 'I want to kill Tyler Martin'. Not that I'm a member," he added quickly in response to Sarah's quirked eyebrow. "That's just wrong."

Chuck reached around her for his toothbrush, absentmindedly dropping a hand on her shoulder for balance. He froze. "Hi-yo. Do you keep tennis balls back here?"

Sarah's brain scrambled for a response, but before she could come up with a suitable excuse, his thumb pressed down hard on a knot below her collarbone. She tried to suppress a grimace and failed.

"Sorry." He gave her a sheepish look in the mirror, but didn't remove his hand. Instead, his thumb started drawing gentler circles, working it's the way across to the back of her neck. "Do you want to tell me what's bothering you?"

Everything inside her went stock still. Their gazes in the mirror stayed locked and Sarah opened her mouth. To say what, she had no idea, but as if on cue, Chuck's phone rang in the bedroom.

"That would be Casey," Chuck said needlessly. They both recognized the ringtone.

"I guess we better hurry." She berated herself for sounding breathy, but if Chuck had noticed, it didn't show. He merely nodded when his hand dropped from her shoulder.

* * *

The drive had been fairly silent. Sarah kept her eyes on the road, Chuck on his phone. She'd sent surreptitious glances his way, but couldn't tell what he was thinking. He hadn't tried continuing their earlier conversation, and though grateful, it also bugged her. That was not like him at all. Perhaps he was giving her space, she thought as she pulled into her regular spot in front of the Orange Orange. That would be a Chuck thing to do. He sometimes had the uncanny ability to recognize what she needed. She almost sighed. She didn't want space, she needed things to be the way they were before, but that was not up to him. She had to fix it.

"Do you think you can get away for lunch?" she asked before she could talk herself out of it.

"Sure," Chuck replied. He locked his phone's display and slipped the device into his messenger bag before turning to her. "The crowd should've thinned out by noon. If not, I can get Morgan to cover for me. Or threaten Emmett with company policies. Mandatory rest periods are prescribed, you know."

That elicited a small smile despite the knot in her gut. She had four hours to figure out how she was going to explain what had happened on Christmas Eve. "Okay, good," was all she could manage for now.

"Sarah." Chuck stopped her when she reached for the door handle. He waited until she faced him again. The kiss was unexpected and it took her a second to respond. Catching up to Chuck was easy as his mouth moved slowly against hers, touching and almost not. Her mind had gone blissfully blank as she desperately tried to get more contact, but the console prevented her from moving closer. Instead she tangled her fingers in his curls only to have him pull back.

"I better get to the store before Casey comes looking for me, or worse – Emmett." He dove in for another quick kiss. "Have a nice day at work, sweetie."

When Sarah finally thought of a reply, Chuck was already rounding the hood. She threw her door open.

"Chuck!" she called him back. He stopped and turned. "What was that for?"

She felt silly for asking, but he was totally serious when he answered, "You're smart, Sarah, you'll figure it out."

* * *

Butterman's record came up clean save for charges Chuck had told her about. So she ran it again. While waiting for the various databases to retrieve every piece of information they had connected to his social security number, Sarah pulled up the surveillance from the Buy More and started scanning it for the subject in question. She spotted him carrying a home theatre system to the back of the store. Her eyes grew wide when he dropped the box, sped towards Morgan and extended an arm, causing the little bearded man to run straight into it and land flat on his back.

"Not dangerous, huh, Chuck," she muttered under her breath and opened a comms line.

"Casey, we have a situation." Her warning was met with dead air. She repeated herself. "Casey, we have a situation."

It was Chuck who answered. "We know, hence the game of hot potato with a grenade." He sounded only slightly freaked out.

"Grenade? I'm on my way." Checking to make sure her Smith and Weston was tucked into the back of her capri's, she pulled her jacket down to conceal it, grabbed an ear wig and headed out the door.

She ran along the back of the strip mall towards the Buy More's loading bay to avoid attracting any unnecessary attention. Chuck and Casey were already down in the cage by the time she reached it. Chuck pulled a safe from its box, opening the lid for Casey to drop the bomb in. Instinctively Sarah grabbed the safe and stuffed it in the closest double door fridge which Casey shouldered into the supply closet. She shoved Chuck behind a stack of boxes for cover, keeping his head down with her hand. The blast was contained and once she was sure it was safe, she let go of Chuck and straightened.

"That was an explosive start to the day," Casey quipped. Both Chuck and Sarah ignored him. "Tough crowd," he grunted.

* * *

Casey stayed behind to do a sweep of the store, sending Chuck and Sarah to brief Beckman.

"Is it me," Chuck asked while Sarah was getting the General on line, "or is the Buy More suddenly the bad guys' electronic store of choice? I mean really, a hostage situation and a bomb in less than a week, that's got to be some kind of record."

"Yeah, I'm seriously considering installing a facial recognition scanner at the Buy More's entrance," she replied once she'd taken up her spot next to him. She was only half joking.

"And we could take fingerprints," Chuck suggested, "and also draw blood for DNA analysis and…"

"Given your aversion to both needles and blood, Mr. Bartowski, whatever you're planning doesn't sound feasible."

They both jumped to attention at Beckman's voice.

"General," Chuck blurted, "you really shouldn't sneak up on people like that."

"You called me," she answered drily.

Sarah immediately ran interference, filling Beckman in on what went down earlier. There was a brief exchange of information about the grenade Chuck had flashed on, the General issued her orders and disconnected the link without preamble.

"You know," Chuck spoke first, "I always thought video conferencing was invented to add that human touch. I don't think the General read the manual."

"She's a busy woman, Chuck."

"Yeah, but still." He took a backwards step and slid up onto the conference table, his legs dangling in front of him. "So we need to question Tyler Martin. How are we supposed to grab a rock star in broad daylight? Security is crawling all over the place."

"They're packing light," Casey answered from atop the stairs. He took them down two at a time and headed straight for the armory.

"Are you crazy? The store is packed with civilians."

"He's not serious, Chuck. That would blow our covers."

"Yeah, yeah," Casey grumbled when he reappeared, a gun tucked into his waistband nonetheless.

"Casey." Sarah gave him a warning look. With a roll of his eyes, Casey disarmed himself, placing the weapon on the table. Then he reached for it again and moved it out of Chuck's reach.

"Well that was unnecessary," Chuck mumbled. Casey responded with a predictable grunt and folded his arms across his chest.

Chuck stood up from the desk and Sarah didn't miss the way he straightened his spine and drew his shoulders back. She wasn't sure if he was preparing to go up against their partner or was trying to mimic him. Neither option promised a positive outcome.

"What's the plan, boys?" she intervened. Of course she knew what probably needed to be done, but she was open to other suggestions.

Casey lifted his chin. "Flash the cupcakes at him."

So much for other options, Sarah thought.

"I doubt there's time for baking, Casey," Chuck pointed out. "Besides, who says he's got a sweet tooth?"

"Oh believe me, Bartowski, when it comes to Walker's assets, anyone can develop a sweet tooth."

"Wait, what?" Chuck's head swiveled between the two agents. "You want Sarah to flash…" His expression went from confused to horrified as the meaning of Casey's words sunk in. "Oh, no, no, no, no." Sarah tried to intervene again, but Chuck was on a roll. "Did you miss me saying the store is full of civilians? No one will be flashing anyone anything and that goes double for my handler and triple for my girlfriend."

"You got any better ideas, moron?"

Chuck's face brightened as he snapped his fingers. "Pineapple."

"Great idea, _Chuck_." Casey's voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Extracting someone from the middle of a crowd of panicked _civilians _scattering all over the place is a piece of cake."

Chuck's expression fell when he realized Casey was right. He sighed and rubbed his hands across his face before turning to Sarah. She could see the conflict in his eyes before he cleared his throat to speak. "How do you feel about giving Tyler a wink and a smile? That should be more than enough to lure him out and then Casey can rock-star-nap him. But only if you're okay with it."

Sarah nodded. She struggled to stay in agent mode after watching him stand up for her like that. "Are you okay with it?" she asked.

"No," Chuck replied honestly.

Casey rolled his eyes and muttered something about "killing me softly with lady feelings" under his breath as he shoved Chuck with a hand on his back in the direction of the stairs. "Wink, smile, lure, nap. Let's go."

* * *

**_Next time on A Common Spy Problem:_**

_They broke off the kiss and Sarah turned to Casey. He looked a little green, but he was staring past them. She followed his eye line, and then suppressed the laugh that bubbled up just in time. Reagan had a tranq dart protruding from his left eye. _


	18. Chapter 18

**A Common Spy Problem**

**A/N:** Oh boy, time flies when you're busy (and/or lazy). I can't believe it's been four months since the last update on this. Thank you to everyone who had send me a PM enquiring whether or not this story was going to continue, as well as those who've nominated it for the Awesome Awards, I'm glad it was gone but not forgotten.

A big thank you goes to my beta, **Nervert**, who corrected my grammar and added his two cents (and some)'s worth. You can show your appreciation by checking out his current story, **The Revenge of the Bartowski**, and while you're there, leave him a review and nag him for an update.

Speaking of reviews – Three hundred and ninety times THANK YOU. I think I have replied to every reader at some point, unless the review was anonymous. If I have skipped someone, please feel free to let me know.

Now when we left off, Sarah had shot Mauser and lied to Chuck about it. She'd been avoiding him since Christmas, taking her frustrations out on Emmett, the punch dummy. Deciding that it was time to come clean, she suggested they take the night off, but Chuck asked if he could spend it with Morgan instead. At the Buy More, Tyler Martin was promoting his new CD, while Team Bartowski was playing hot potato with a grenade. Beckman ordered them to interrogate Tyler and Sarah agreed to lure him away from his security with a wink and a smile. Casey wanted her to flash cupcakes.

If, like Sarah, some ex-CIA douche stole your memories, you can download the story up to chapter 17 from **Castle Inanity**. Thank you, **Frea O'Scanlin, **for putting it up there. You're aces.

I don't own Chuck.

* * *

Chapter 18

Sarah envisioned tearing Casey limb from limb from limb as she conjured up another fake smile for the spikey haired rock star. They were down in the cage where she had led him after both her teammates were no-shows at the agreed napping point. Of course she blamed Casey. Chuck always had her back on missions, much to her frustration as that usually meant he disobeyed her order to stay in the car and out of harm's way.

"So," Tyler drawled, "are you a model?" He wiggled his eyebrows in a way that Sarah assumed was supposed to be a seductive manner. On Chuck it was cute, on Tyler, in his alcoholic haze, it was repulsive. "Actress?" Tyler asked again. Leaning closer, he moved a strand of hair from her shoulder. "Massage therapist? Acrobat?"

Subtle, Sarah thought. He swayed slightly, staring at her through hooded eyes. She was relieved that it had probably more to do with his intoxicated state than with lust. Tyler reminded her of Jeff Barnes, but at least he smelled better.

"I can be whatever you want," she answered, her tone a mix of innocence and hidden promise, a little too practiced to her ears but good enough for the heavily medicated rock star. Out of her peripheral vision she searched for something to knock him out with, should the need arise. Sure she could just use a fist, but that meant going for the face and the poor guy did have a concert the night after.

Tyler opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by a disgusted groan from behind a row of boxes inside the cage.

"Idiot." The grunt was barely audible, but Sarah didn't miss it. Her anger climbed a notch and she vowed to give Emmett a break next time she needed to punch something.

Tyler turned in the direction of the sound and went up on his toes in an attempt to peer over the boxes. "I think we've got a pervert."

Sarah briefly spotted brown curls peeking over one of the boxes and then heard the telltale swoosh of a tranq dart being shot. It hit Tyler in the neck, causing him to spin back around to face her. With an "Oh daisies" he passed out and fell forward into her arms.

"Nighty, night, Tyler." Casey finally emerged from his hiding spot. Chuck wasn't far behind.

"What the hell took you so long?" Sarah hissed, struggling to not collapse under Tyler's dead weight.

"Thought you could use the practice," Casey shrugged. "It's been a while, wouldn't want you to get rusty."

Sarah stared daggers at him, as did Chuck. She wanted to argue, but it felt like Tyler was getting heavier by the second. "Take him," she ordered.

"You heard your lady, Bartowski."

"What? Why me?" Chuck spoke for the first time.

"Walker lured him out and I tranqed him. You have to do some of the heavy lifting too." Casey gave an amused grunt at his own joke.

"Yeah, because blowing a dart is so labor intensive," Chuck retorted.

"A little help here," Sarah groaned to get their attention back on the mission, but when neither man made a move to take the unconscious rock star from her, she pushed up on her legs and let Tyler fall backwards, aiming for Casey. For a second she thought he was just going to let him drop to the ground, but at last second he stepped forward and caught the smaller man under his armpits. With his hands full, Sarah reached into Casey pants' pocket and retrieved his keys. She jingled them triumphantly in front of his face. "I'll go warm up the car."

"Don't you touch my baby," Casey growled.

"Payback's a bitch." She gave him a sardonic grin before grabbing Chuck's hand. "C'mon. Casey knows the way."

* * *

"You owe me a new gearbox, Walker," Casey complained when he hauled Tyler out of the backseat.

"Get over it, Casey, it happened once." Sarah rolled her eyes. "And I said I was sorry," she added begrudgingly. After the stunt he'd pulled, he owed her the apology.

"No one asked you to drive," he pointed out.

"You had your hands full."

"You didn't even give me a chance to load Martin, let alone get in the car myself."

Sarah waved him off, knowing it would agitate him more than any verbal comeback. Without waiting for a response, she glanced down the street before crossing it. She hastened through the gates and did a perimeter sweep of the courtyard before bringing her watch up to her mouth. "Clear."

Casey appeared seconds later with Tyler in a fireman's carry and Chuck on his heels. He hadn't spoken two words since they'd left the Buy More and Sarah wondered if he was upset that she had to actually flirt with Tyler. She huffed out a breath. That was his problem. He hadn't stuck to the plan either.

As if reading her thoughts, Chuck shot her an apologetic smile, but it wasn't enough. She held him back once Casey had disappeared into his apartment. When he stopped, she dropped his wrist and folded her arms across her chest.

"What happened back there?"

Chuck held his hands up in defense. "He forced me." The words came out in a rush. "Blackmailed actually. He blackmailed me. He said if I didn't co-operate, footage of us doing…" He made a vague gesture. "You know…he said it might 'accidently' be included in the files he sends to D.C., and sometimes the analysts kept copies for themselves, or uploaded…"

"Chuck," she cut him off. "That's bull."

He shook his head. "No, I promise that's what happened."

Sarah squeezed her eyes shut, pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger in an effort to thwart off a headache. "Not the blackmail part," she explained, "I believe you."

"You mean he won't send the footage?" Chuck asked.

"No." She opened her eyes again and met his gaze. "I double check everything before it leaves Castle. Beckman said to keep this low-key and I'm not taking any chances."

"Oh." His expression was a mix of relief and embarrassment. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"It's okay." She ran a hand from his shoulder down to his elbow. "I'm just sorry I didn't scratch his gears harder."

His eyes widened. "You did that on purpose?

She ignored his question and tugged on his hand. "I think we better get inside."

* * *

Sarah was bored out of her skull. Chuck and Casey had returned to the Buy More to work the rest of their shifts and she was stuck watching Tyler. The latter was slumped over in Casey's easy chair, his head lolled to the side. He hadn't moved in nearly six hours, and the shallow rise and fall of his chest and the occasional snort were the only signs that he was still alive.

She reclined on the office chair in Casey's living room, crossed her feet on the desk and blew a stray hair out of her face. She grabbed the file next to the computer and flipped through the pages again, but she knew the contents by heart – a picture from the Buy More parking lot showing the car belonging to the suspect, a Google Earth printout of the building currently under surveillance by the backup team and a short, but disturbing résumé of one Achmed Gambir. Sarah sighed. She and Casey should have been out there tracking him down, but according to Casey, Emmett was keeping a close eye on Chuck and there was no way they could sneak out without raising suspicion. In the meantime the surveillance team reported in every half hour, but so far there had been no sign of movement.

With another sigh she dropped the folder back onto the desk. Her eyes roamed around the strangely furnished apartment looking for something to do. She'd already gone through Casey's book collection, but she had no interest in the biographies of any of the war heroes. It had been painful enough learning about them in eight grade history. His DVD collection was even worse – he owned several World War II documentary box sets, no surprise there, but his copy of The Sound of Music had caused her to do a double take. She imagined he'd heard it was about Nazi's, only to discover that in actual fact, the film centered on a singing nun and seven children. Or maybe he liked to let his inner choir boy loose in a sing-a-long.

Sarah snorted at the thought and it was immediately answered in kind by her unconscious charge. Her head swiveled back in his direction, but he was still out like a light. Her eyes travelled to the stairs behind him and an idea started to form.

She rose slowly and crossed the room. With her hand braced against the wall she leaned forward, twisting her torso to stare up at the second floor. She stood undecided for a moment. She'd been upstairs once, only as far as the bathroom, to catch her breath and slow her heart rate, or as she'd put it at the time, fix her lipstick. Her lip curled in indecision. She really shouldn't be invading Casey's privacy like that.

She was still debating with her conscience when a growl broke the silence. She spun around, but a quick glance assured her it wasn't Tyler. Then she heard it again and almost laughed as her hand ghosted over her stomach. It was almost four in the afternoon and the last thing she ate was literally two bites at breakfast.

Abandoning the idea of checking Casey's closets for possible skeletons, she headed for the kitchen.

The fridge door was bare, no pictures, grocery lists or magnets adorned it, which came as no surprise. Unlike the fridge's contents. On the top shelf, a carton of milk was flanked by two cans of beer. She moved it aside and discovered a lonely egg. That was it.

No wonder he's always so eager to accept a dinner invitation from Ellie, Sarah mused. She moved on to the cupboards, opening and closing the ones with dinnerware, cleaning supplies and bonsai pruning equipment until she found the food stash. For a second, she was speechless. Twenty four cans of tuna salad were neatly stacked, labels facing forward, like marines ready to march. Sarah tilted her head and blinked. Not only were the various flavors grouped together, they were also arranged in alphabetical order.

"Wow," she whispered to herself, "that's disturbing." Nonetheless she grabbed a tin.

She started to close the door and stopped. Technically she still owed Casey for blackmailing Chuck and forcing him to witness her flirting with another man. She swung the door wider and crouched down. Within no time, she had the cupboard unpacked. Then she moved on to the next one. Half an hour later, nothing was where she'd found it. The mugs was stowed in the cupboard furthest from the coffeemaker, his dishes next to the stove, the cleaning supplies where the food used to be, his tumblers and Johnny Walker Black under the sink and the tuna in the cutlery drawers. The knives, forks, spoons and pruning scissors were cooling in the freezer box.

Satisfied with her handiwork, she took her lunch into the living room, sank down on the couch and crossed her feet on the coffee table.

* * *

"What's got your boyfriend's panties in a twist?" Casey asked as they stalked down the hallway towards Gambir's apartment, weapons drawn.

"He's disappointed that his plans got cancelled," Sarah replied. She understood where Chuck was coming from, but his outburst had been totally unexpected. That was not like him. She didn't voice her concern however. Instead she glanced over her shoulder to check that she and Casey weren't being followed.

"National Security doesn't care about that. You should teach him to be more like you," Casey suggested. "Duty before all else."

Sarah let the remark pass. She wouldn't give her partner the satisfaction of confirming that he was pushing her buttons. "He deserves a night off, Casey. He hasn't had a break from us since this assignment started."

"That's what you get for dipping your breadstick in the company's cheese sauce." Casey held up a hand when they reached the front door, effectively ending the conversation. Then he rapped his knuckles on the wood.

"Really?" Sarah whispered sarcastically, both in response to his lame remark and the knocking bit. She slipped her Smith and Wesson into the back of her pants and pulled out a lock pick kit. Seconds later the door swung open.

Casey led the way, giving her time to retrieve her gun. He flipped the light switch and they scanned the room. Surveillance pictures of Tyler Martin covered the entire back wall while two adjacent tables held various components used for assembling bombs.

"We got a real fan boy, huh?" Casey was paging through a file filled with even more pictures of the rock star.

Sarah picked up a bottle and read the label. She shook her head. "No, there's something wrong here. This is too neat, too orderly." Exactly like Casey's apartment, Sarah thought and almost smirked.

"Beckman was right. We're dealing with a pro." Casey took another look at their surroundings and then returned the file to the table. "I guess we should bag and tag this."

"Get a cleanup crew to do it," Sarah suggested. If they left for Burbank now, she or Casey could take over tongue watch duty for Chuck and save what was left of his planned game night. Apparently Casey had read her mind.

"Anything for the boy toy." He must've been grateful to get out of evidence gathering because his tone wasn't nearly as mocking as Sarah had expected. She decided to take advantage of the situation.

"I told him you'd turn off the bugs."

Casey grunted. "I always do. Going blind is below my pay grade."

Sarah rolled her eyes at him. "His plans don't include me." Casey raised a knowing eyebrow. "Morgan needs him," she quickly added to avoid any uncomfortable questions. "You can keep the outside cameras on and we're right across the courtyard. How much trouble can he get into?"

* * *

"You just had to go and jinx it," Casey grumbled when his eyes fell on the empty lounger.

Sarah ignored him as she fished her phone out of her pocket and dialed. The call went straight to voice mail. Not waiting for the beep she ended the call and activated the tracking software, praying that Chuck's watch wasn't at the bottom of the fountain again. Stepping outside while waiting for the software to load, she checked and found his phone. She forced down a wave of panic which disappeared when the red dot on her own phone started to flash.

Casey stepped out of his apartment and turned to lock the door.

"I have a trace," Sarah informed him as she pocketed Chuck's phone before Casey could spot it. She would report that should the need arise to do so.

* * *

The drive from the hotel back to Echo Park was tensely silent, aside from an occasional snore from the once again unconscious rock star. Sarah heard Chuck shift on the backseat but ignored him. The anger that had started to gnaw in her gut since identifying his location at the downtown nightclub had reached boiling point. Not only had Gambir made and escaped her and Casey, but Chuck had managed to land himself in the middle of a very dangerous situation because he couldn't follow a simple order.

"Uh, guys, do you think you could turn the heat up…just a skosh?"

"No," Casey grumbled. Sarah echoed him in her mind.

"C'mon, Casey," Chuck complained, "you're the one who said we didn't have time to go back for my clothes. I'm cold and this is very embarrassing."

"You didn't think it was all that embarrassing when you pulled your King Kong act."

"I've explained that. Those women had very sharp knives and there was nowhere to run."

Casey grunted. "I think Walker would be more interested to know how you lost your pants."

Sarah shot Casey a stay-out-of-it glare and punched the climate control button in the hope of ending the conversation.

"Thanks, honey." Chuck moved forward in the seat, his fingers gripping the back of Sarah's. His knuckles brushed against her shoulders as he craned his neck to try and look at her, but she kept her eyes trained on the road. "Look, Sarah, I should've explained earlier…the assassins stole my pants."

Sarah's jaw tightened. Coming from anyone else it would sound ridiculous, but apparently it was just the sort of thing that would actually happen to her boyfriend. But that did not explain what he was doing with two brunettes in Tyler's suite in the first place.

"You don't really think I would cheat…" Chuck continued but Sarah cut him off.

"Not now, Chuck." They were going to have a long talk after they'd secured Tyler. In private.

Thankfully Casey pulled into his parking spot before Chuck could say anything else.

"You better make a run for it, Bartowski," Casey advised sarcastically. "If you're fast enough, the neighbors might mistake you for Awesome." He turned and gave Chuck a once over. "On second thought, probably not."

Without waiting for a reply, Casey got out of the car and opened the passenger seat to haul out Tyler.

Sarah turned in her seat, facing Chuck for the first time since they'd left the club. He opened his mouth to say something, but she stopped him with a raised palm.

"Stay here," she ordered. "I'll go get you some clothes."

He gave her an appreciative grin. "I promise to stay in the car."

His quip did not alleviate her mood. Instead the words came tumbling out. "What the hell were you thinking, Chuck? You put yourself in a dangerous situation where I couldn't protect you."

"You told me to keep an eye on him and I did. How was I supposed to know we were going to be attacked by two sexy brunettes?"

Sarah's jaw dropped in disbelief and Chuck threw his hands up defensively. "Objectively speaking. They were…not my type. I swear, the whole pants thing…they forced me. I flashed on one of them and I had to play along for Tyler's sake. Nothing happened."

"You were supposed to stay at Casey's apartment."

"Well it's kind of difficult to subdue someone without a karate chop or a tranq gun."

"Didn't it occur to you to call me?" Remembering his drowned phone in her pocket, she added "There were at least three payphones outside the club."

Chuck's eyes darted from hers as a look of guilt crossed his face. "We were…" He cleared his throat. "We were actually having fun," he admitted reluctantly.

Sarah forced herself to stay calm. "I know you were looking forward to your games night with Morgan," she spoke evenly, "but whether you want to be or not, you are a spy, Chuck. The mission has to come first. Always."

Chuck fell back against the seat and folded his arms across his chest. With his head tilted to the side, he studied her for a moment. "I am not a spy," he pointed out. "And no offense, but I don't want to be one. For as long as the Intersect is in my head I will help this country in any way I can, but the minute it's out, so am I. There are things in this line of work that I will never get used to."

"You wouldn't have to get used to any of it if you just listened and stay in…" Sarah's eyebrows jumped when she was cut off by a slamming car door. Chuck's exit had been so unexpected that she was too stunned to stop him. She followed suit, showing a little more respect for the Crown Vic than Chuck had. "What are you doing?" she asked as she followed him across the road, barely looking in either direction.

"It's late. I'm tired, cold and I really need to p...I had a lot to drink. I'm calling it a night." He increased his stride, making it difficult for Sarah to keep up without her heels creating a racket on the cobble stones. She finally caught him just before he could climb through the Morgan door. Grabbing his arm, she spun him around.

"Don't you dare walk away from me."

"I'm not." He shook her hand off and took a step back. "I've done quite the opposite, in fact. I have given you opportunity after opportunity to…" He cut himself short, pursing his lips as his gaze dropped to the ground.

"Opportunity to do what?" Sarah asked.

Chuck sighed and shook his head before meeting her gaze again. "You know what? I don't want to fight. A couples' first fight sets the tone for all future fights and we're standing in the courtyard and I'm in my underwear…" There was no humor in his voice. He actually sounded defeated and Sarah didn't know why, but that worried her.

"We're not fighting," she offered a truce. "We're having a heated discussion in hushed tones to not wake the neighbors."

When he didn't respond with as much as a hint of a smile, Sarah's shoulders slumped. She had a feeling they were no longer talking about the disaster of their current mission.

"Chuck, are you mad at me?" She felt like a hypocrite for asking, but she still had no idea how to broach the topic of Mauser.

"No, Sarah," he answered honestly, but she didn't miss the underlying disappointment in his tone. Realization hit her square in the chest and it felt like she couldn't breathe.

He knew.

* * *

**A/N:** So Chuck and Sarah are having a 'hushed, heated debate', but hey, at least they remember each other. Besides, communication is key for a successful relationship.

The first half of this chapter was written months ago, hence the **Sound of Music** reference. I'm sure you've all read it by now, but if you haven't, check out **quistie64**'s page. She's got some other amazing stories there as well.

See you back here in a couple of days for the next installment of **It's a Wonderful Cover Life**.


	19. Chapter 19

**A Common Spy Problem**

**A/N:** Happy Leap Day! That's all I have. Oh, wait, some advice – if you're a guy, and you see a woman on her knees, RUN!

Hats off to **Frea O'Scanlin **though, she did twice as much as I have. I hope the feeling in your face return soon.

As always, **Nervert**, worked his magic, for which I am eternally grateful. Even if he suggests at 3 am that I need to write a joke. Nothing's funny at 3 am, but I hope you like my joke, N.

Thank you, yes you, for sticking with this story. It was intended to be a one-shot. It _was_ a one-shot, marked complete and everything, yet here we are, two weeks short of a year later, with the longest story I've ever written and more reviews that I could ever hope to receive. Thank you to everyone who has added to the 408 this is currently standing on. Wow!

I don't own Chuck, Borrowed Hearts, or any other sitcom, rom-com, 'any'-com this reminds you off.

* * *

Chapter 19

Chuck knew.

The thought replayed several times in Sarah's head. Everything started to click – Chuck's strange behavior, being distant the one minute and kissing her senseless the next, the expression on his face when she told him Mauser had been arrested… And then she realized something else. There was only one way Chuck could know.

"You came back, didn't you? Christmas eve…the tree lot…" She couldn't bring herself to elaborate.

"Bartowski! Walker!" Casey called in a loud whisper from across the courtyard. "Get decent and get back here!"

"Give us a minute," Sarah replied, but didn't wait for a response. Chuck had taken advantage of the distraction and had climbed through the window.

Cursing under her breath she followed. His bedroom was empty, so she made her way down the hall to the bathroom. When Chuck emerged, she pushed him back inside, closed the door behind her and locked it.

"What are doing? Casey's waiting for us."

"Then he waits," Sarah stated flatly.

"But you just said the mission comes first," he pointed out.

"The mission can wait too."

"Well, which is it? You can't just change the rules…"

"Chuck," she cut in, "stop changing the subject."

He threw his hands up defensively. "Sarah, I meant what I said. I don't want to fight."

"Me neither, but we need to talk."

"Yeah, but Casey's going to…"

"Chuck," she interrupted again, knowing her frustration was starting to show. "Why didn't you go back to the Buy More that night like I told you to?" she asked before he could come up with another excuse to delay the inevitable.

Chuck leaned back against the sink, grabbing the side with both hands. "I shouldn't have left you alone with him in the first place." She opened her mouth to protest, but he was faster. "Sarah, don't. I know _that _conversation by heart."

For a moment they just stared at each other.

"Look, it's not that I don't appreciate you doing everything you can to protect me," he continued, "and I'm not trying to make your job more difficult, but I can't just stand by and do nothing, not when it's my fault that you and Ellie were in danger."

Sarah squeezed her eyes shut and pinched the bridge of her nose as more pieces fell into place. "You told Mauser about the Intersect."

"He was threatening to have Ned shoot Ellie. What else was I supposed to do?"

They both knew the textbook answer to that one, but neither verbalized it. At least, Sarah thought, Fulcrum didn't figure out on their own who the Intersect was, and with Mauser dead, Chuck was safe. For now.

When the silence stretched too long, she felt she had to say something. She crossed her arms over her chest, straightened her spine and met his gaze.

"Does that mean you understand why I shot him?"

"Do you?" Chuck countered, his response taking her by surprise.

"Excuse me?"

"Why did you shoot Mauser, Sarah?"

All she could do was stare at him in stunned silence. That was not how she'd expected the conversation to go. Surely Chuck was supposed to be angry that she hadn't been completely honest, or at best, disappointed in her. That she could deal with, but she had no idea what to make of this situation, especially when Chuck reached out and curled his fingers around her wrist to pull her closer. She obeyed without thinking about it, and when she was standing in front of him, he dropped his hands down to her waist.

"Look, I know you're a spy and spies keep secrets, but so do I." He tapped a finger to his temple. "I have a head full of them. I'm also your boyfriend, so you can tell me anything. You can trust me."

"It's not that," she admitted, "I do trust you. I just didn't want you to look at me and see a killer."

"I see a spy who's great at her job," he answered simply.

Sarah shook her head. "You saw me shoot an unarmed man who was handing himself over."

Chuck let out a sigh. "I did, but I know you. There had to be more to it than that."

The faith he had in her shook her. She'd taken for granted what it must have taken for him to blindly put his life and freedom in her hands all those months ago after she'd done nothing but deceive him and even pulled a gun on him. And now, after everything he'd seen, what they had become, he hadn't lost that. He believed in her and she didn't want to lose that.

Sarah took a deep breath, weighing her words carefully before she spoke. "He was important to Fulcrum, important enough for them to launch a rescue operation. And he said all of Fulcrum would find out about the Intersect and then…" She couldn't bring herself to repeat Mauser's threat. "I was protecting you and your family."

"So you had no choice?"

"There's always a choice, Chuck. I just couldn't risk it. I couldn't risk you. But I don't know if it was because you're a valuable asset or because…" Chuck pressed a finger to her lips, silencing what she was about to say.

"That was reason enough," he paused, dropping his hand as his eyes searched her face, "so no more second guessing. Either way, this was never about that. It's just…when you lied and then started to avoid me I didn't know what to think."

Fighting the lump in her throat, Sarah leaned her forehead against Chuck's. "I'm sorry. I guess I'm a slow learner. After the debacle with my dad…no more lies, I promise. And no secrets," she added.

"No lies and no secrets," Chuck agreed.

Sarah pulled away and looked at him. "So are we good?"

"Actually," Chuck smiled, "I think we're awesome."

* * *

Sarah felt lighter as they made their way across the courtyard, hand-in-hand, to Casey's apartment, despite the fact that her partner was probably going to give them an earful for being late. It would be worth it though, she thought, as she stole a glimpse at Chuck. His curls were still wet from the shower he'd insisted on taking, claiming that he smelled like the outside of an elevator. She had been tempted to join him, but that would've been pushing it.

"Well aren't I just the luckiest NSA agent in all the land. You actually decided to show up before sunrise," Casey remarked sarcastically from behind his computer screen when Sarah and Chuck entered the living room. He glanced down at their joined hands. "I guess it's all bunnies and rainbows again on cloud lust," he grunted in disgust.

"Casey," Chuck complained, but just when Sarah was about to squeeze his hand in warning to not go there, he let go and crossed the room towards Tyler who was hunched over in the easy chair. "Isn't it enough that you're adding to his brain and liver damage, do you have to give him back and neck problems too? What's wrong with you?"

Casey shrugged. "The idiot looks quite comfortable from where I'm sitting."

"He's not an idiot," Chuck protested. "He's actually a pretty decent guy."

"A decent guy wouldn't have assassins hunting him like a turkey the day before Thanksgiving," Casey countered. "He's an idiot, Bartowski, just like you."

"Casey!" Sarah warned. "Don't you think you've done enough for one day?"

Casey glared at her. She glared right back.

"Guys," Chuck interrupted their silent standoff, "I know why their trying to kill him. I know why they want him dead."

* * *

Sarah rubbed her eyes and stifled a yawn. The lack of sleep was catching up with her and the fact that it was nearly three in the morning didn't help matters much. She felt a hand drop on her shoulder, giving it an affectionate squeeze before a cup of coffee appeared before her. She smiled up at Chuck as he turned around, slipped onto the desk and closed the folder she'd been working on, sliding it outside of her reach.

"You need a break," he declared.

"How's Tyler holding up?" she asked after taking a sip.

"He's asleep." Chuck gave her a worried look. "Please tell me the worst thing that's going to happen tomorrow night is that he'll open with 'Ullo Cleveland'."

"He'll be fine," Sarah assured him. "C'mon, it's us." That didn't seem to convince him, but Sarah didn't take it personally. Knowing Chuck, he was worried about all of them. "Do you know what you need?" she whispered seductively, running her hand up and down his thigh. "A little distraction."

Chuck let out a low chuckle. "Too bad this place is bugged to the hilt."

"The supply closet isn't."

He grinned and then let it drop when he realized she was being serious. "Sarah, we can't do that."

"Why not?" She cocked her head to the side and gave him the most innocent look she could muster, catching her bottom lip between her teeth, her eyebrows raising slightly.

Chuck cleared his throat as his eyes darted between her and Casey cleaning his weapons in the adjourning room. "Well, for one, he keeps his gun oil in there and judging by the size of his collection, we're going to be interrupted a lot."

"We can leave him a couple of bottles outside the door," Sarah suggested.

"Like that's not gonna be a dead giveaway." Chuck caught her hand and entwined their fingers. "What about tomorrow night after Tyler's concert? We'll stay in, order take-out, borrow The English Patient from Ellie…"

Despite predicting his next move, Sarah still laughed when Chuck did his patented eyebrow dance. Then she sobered. "If we catch Gambir there will be debriefings and paperwork, plus we have Ellie's New Year's Eve party after and you still need to cheer up Morgan," she reminded him.

"Morgan is going to Las Vegas with his mom and Big Mike, which in itself should be disturbing enough to distract him from his Anna-troubles; knowing Beckman, the debriefing should be abrupt and the paperwork can wait."

"Which leaves Ellie," Sarah pointed out.

Chuck thought for a moment. "I can get us out of that," he replied. When she gave him a skeptical look, he added "It's just a party. The only people we'll hang out with is Ellie and Awesome anyway, and we see them basically every day. It's no big deal."

"I seriously doubt your sister is going to see it that way. You know how she gets."

"Just trust me," Chuck replied. He leaned in for a quick kiss. "My plan is foolproof."

Sarah smirked. "That's what I'm afraid off."

* * *

Sarah knew she should have expected the mission to go wrong. Team Bartowski's missions had a habit of panning out that way. But in the end it worked out, she kept telling herself as she pushed through the crowd. The large number of civilians should've been reason enough to abort, not to mention the fact that Gambir had gotten the better of them yet again, having handed out concert tickets to random teenagers in exchange for them wearing similar raincoats and baseballs caps. She and Casey had wasted precious time trying to find Gambir, only to end up with a bogey every time. He had given them the slip, and to add insult to injury, he had taken out the guards posted outside Tyler's dressing room to protect him and Chuck.

People were blocking her from each angle and if felt like she was barely moving forward. That was probably also due to the fact that she was desperate to get to Chuck, particularly after hearing him mention 'very large knife' over her earwig.

The earpiece crackled to life again. "Sarah," she heard Chuck speak, "we're running to the stage. He's right behind us."

"Chuck, are you okay?" she asked into her watch.

"Yeah, yeah," he assured her. "Just get us out of here."

Determined not to let him down, she made her way to the platform. From there she had an unobstructed view of the stage. Tyler appeared seconds later, followed closely by Chuck. The crowd got even noisier and streamers were released from the ceiling, but Sarah barely noticed. Chuck, who'd kept to the edge of the stage had suddenly stepped forward, revealing Gambir behind him. Her eyes darted between the two men as she tried to figure out what to do. She caught sight of Tyler and she could clearly make out what he was telling Chuck.

Brilliant, she thought. Chuck, however, hesitated. A movement from Gambir drew her attention back to him and when she spotted the knife, ready to be thrown, everything inside her went cold. "Chuck!" she yelled, "Jump!"

As soon as she saw him and Tyler landing safely on a sea of hands, she took off down the stairs, shoving people out of her way. As desperately as she wanted to get to Chuck, she had to find Gambir first and eliminate the threat. Reasoning that the terrorist would go after Tyler and Chuck, who were both clearly visible as they were literally rolling on top of the fans, she started moving in the same direction, ducking under armpits as she scanned the crowd. She spotted Casey first, and then the back of Gambir's head.

"You think I look mad," Casey commented, nodding in her direction, "Wait until you see her."

Sarah waited until Gambir spun around, surprised. He stabbed at her, but her reflexes were faster, grabbing his wrist and twisting, not letting go until the knife dropped and she heard the satisfying sound of bones breaking. Then she landed a left-right-left combo. _For the grenade, the night club and the dressing room_, she added in her mind. Gambir staggered, but Sarah didn't give him the chance to recover. Her elbow struck the side of his jaw, knocking him out cold. Casey caught him as he collapsed, putting him in a headlock and snapping his neck. Sarah turned away, breathing a sigh of relief that it hadn't been her this time, but also grateful that there was one less psycho in the world.

She immediately started looking around for Chuck, wincing when she saw the crowd dropping him to the floor a few feet away. She reached him just as he had climbed to his feet, dusting off his jeans. Breathing easy for the first time in what felt like ages, she wrapped him in a tight hug. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he assured her, but when she gave him an affectionate squeeze, he let out an "Ow".

Stepping back immediately, her fingers ghosted over his arms and chest. "Are you hurt? Did you get stabbed?"

Chuck caught her hands in his and shook his head. "I think I'm gonna have a whole bunch of tiny bruises. These people have really pointy fingers." He gave her a sheepish smile. "I'm fine," he said again. "I promise."

"Okay, good," Sarah breathed, this time wrapping her arms around his neck.

* * *

Tyler Martin was barely recognizable from the egotistical rock star that had showed up in Burbank a couple of days before. He sincerely thanked Chuck and Sarah for saving his life and reiterated his promise to have his tattoos removed, but a hint of the old Tyler peered through when he reminded them to send him some of the 'magic' tranquilizer Casey had him on for nearly his entire stay. After they'd said their goodbyes, Tyler turned back one last time.

"Hey, Chuck," he called across the courtyard. "Can I give you some advice?" He gestured towards Sarah. "Do the drummer boy. You never know." He winked suggestively and with that, he was gone.

"What was that about?" Sarah asked, both amused and a little worried.

"Oh, nothing," Chuck replied nonchalant, but the faint blush crawling up his neck gave him away.

Sarah fixed him with a skeptical look and crossed her arms over her chest. "Chuck," she warned in a low drawl, "no secrets, no lies."

"Okay, fine," he conceded. He cleared his throat. "Would you like to come over to my place?" he asked in a horribly fake British accent, causing Sarah to bit down hard on her lip to avoid laughing. "I'm in a band," he continued, "and I'd like to show you my drums. I'm the drummer boy. Come they told me, param pa pam pam." Then he held up a hand. "Don't laugh," he said in his normal voice, "that's how I lost my pants."

Despite his request, Sarah couldn't help herself. Chuck joined in, oblivious to the fact that they might be annoying the neighbors.

"They actually fell for that?" Sarah asked in between bouts of hysteria.

"They were assassins," Chuck shrugged a shoulder, "they didn't really care."

Sobering, Sarah slipped her hand into his and entwined their fingers. "Well, I care. Very much." Chuck smiled down at her and dipped his head, but before their lips could meet, his phone rang. He pulled away, grumbling under his breath as he took it out of his pocket.

He answered it with a "Hey, sis". Sarah could make out the words 'work', 'party' and 'hospital' from Ellie's end. "Yeah, that sucks, but at least you get to celebrate…No, unfortunately Sarah and I won't be able to make it…That little problem she has…" Sarah quirked an eyebrow and Chuck glanced away. "Yeah," he continued, "I'm gonna go home with her and make sure she's okay…I don't think there's a need to bring her in…Okay, I'll do that…See you, El, and Happy New Year."

"I think you have some explaining to do," Sarah pointed out after Chuck had hung up the call. Guilt was written all over his face and he couldn't quite meet her eyes.

"Okay, Sarah, listen," he started to explain, "I think we should each be allowed to keep one secret. One teeny, tiny secret that wouldn't hurt anyone."

"Chuck," Sarah folded her arms again, causing him to retreat slightly. "I'm a spy. You can't keep secrets from a spy. Do you really think I don't know that you'd just referred to my supposedly spastic colon?"

Chuck's eyes grew to the size of saucers. "How did you find out about that?"

"Director Graham," she emphasized, "mentioned it last year during my performance evaluation."

"Oh, my gosh. Sarah, I'm so sorry, but you were late for that briefing and I didn't want you to get into trouble and it was the first thing that I could think off, nothing personal, I was actually reading this article in one of Awesome's magazines…"

"Chuck," Sarah cut him off, barely able to hide her amusement. It had not been funny at the time, but she'd gotten over it. "Are you going to stand there and ramble all night or take me back to my place for some pa rumpa pum pum?" Unlike Chuck's, her accent was flawless.

His jaw dropped in surprise and Sarah couldn't help but snicker. Before Chuck could think of a retort a grunt from Casey interrupted them.

"Giggle-Dee and Giggle-Dum, get in here. Now."

Chuck and Sarah shot each other what-now looks as they filed into Casey's apartment. He was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, motioning them closer with a jerk of the head. Sarah snapped immediately and indicated for Chuck to stay put. She crossed the room to Casey, her face stoic and her spine ramrod straight.

"Problem?" she asked.

Casey looked from her to the kitchen. All the cupboard doors and drawers were open. "Is nothing sacred?" he growled.

Sarah tilted her head slightly and frowned. "Like agreeing that I would not be flirting with the mark, but then forced to do so anyway?"

"You abused my car."

"You blackmailed my boyfriend."

"It was a joke."

"You're not funny."

"Doing a fake British accent is not fu…"

Sarah's mouth fell open when Casey crumpled to the floor. Her head snapped around to Chuck who was looking from the pen in his hand to Casey's lifeless form and back to the pen.

"It was a joke?" he offered lamely.

"Casey has no sense of humor," Sarah pointed out. She hunch down and pulled the dart from his neck. "Come on," she called Chuck over her shoulder. "Help me get him to the chair."

"In a minute," he replied.

He scrawled something on a piece of paper before joining Sarah to help drag Casey to the easy chair. They propped him up on it, curled his fingers around the "I'm very sorry I tranqed you"-note.

"How do you think Marine metabolism compares with rock star metabolism?" Chuck asked.

"Do you really want to stick around and find out?"

Chuck shook his head vehemently. Then he grabbed Sarah's hand and they scurried out of the apartment.

* * *

**A/N: **For those of you following It's a Wonderful Cover Life, that story has taken on a life of its own and is going to be longer than originally planned. Therefore, two things: One, it will henceforth be known as my early Christmas fic for 2012, and; two, updates will be rotated between Cover Life and Spy Problem. Grease and Inconvenient Truths will be back-burned. Once one of these are done, I'll pick up on of those. For All That We Are is still a side project, to be updated as and when I get time to work on it.

I need a nap.


	20. Chapter 20

**A Common Spy Problem**

**A/N:** Happy birthday, It's a Common Spy Problem! It seems like just yesterday that you were a short little one-shot, marked as complete and everything, and now look at you. Twenty chapters later and we're about halfway. Writing this has been fun, having to rewatch season 2, my favorite of the 5 seasons, is still awesome and I look forward to the rest of the ride. Of course I wouldn't keep writing this if no one read it, so thank you for sticking with this story for a whole year. Your responses have been amazing and I hope I can keep this entertaining until the end.

Someone I really hope will stick with this to the end, is the always awesome **Nervert**. He'd beta'd every chapter of this, sometimes working until early morning to try and make sense of what I'm trying to achieve. Thank you for your hard work, buddy, and all the advice, support and listening to me vent about writing, politics and life in general.

The last time we spoke was right after a challenge I concocted because I'm a lush, or a mental patient, or both, or one because of the other, either way, in my exhausted haze, I screwed up my author's note. For one, I forgot to thank everyone for nominating and voting in the Awesomes. I'm truly grateful even if I forgot to say it. Thank you. Also congratulations to all the winners – every award and nomination was well deserved. I'm humbled to consider you my colleagues and keep up the awesomeness.

The second thing I've fumbled was the disclaimer – it actually belongs to the other story, but the jist of it is that I don't own much. That still applies. I don't own Chuck. I also don't own AP and I would like to thank her creator, **wepdiggy**, for graciously allowing me to reference/use some characteristics in this chapter.

In lieu of tea and cake, I now bring you something hot and sweet. The previous chapter marked the end of the first arc, so after the break we jump into the prologue of the second. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 20

Sarah's mouth moved lazily against Chuck's, their lips playing a game of catch and release. Eventually they parted from some much needed air. She opened her eyes slowly to find Chuck hovering over her, perched on one elbow. He was dressed in jeans and socks, his hair still wet from his shower.

"Good morning," he whispered.

"Good morning," she breathed back. She reached up to cup his jaw, loving the feeling of his smoothly shaved skin under her palm. He leaned into her touch for a second before he caught her hand in his, linking their fingers. He placed a kiss on the back of her hand and pressed it against his bare chest.

"What time is it?" Sarah asked, her voice still gravely from sleep.

"Don't you mean what day is it?" Chuck teased.

Sarah mock frowned. "It's still two thousand and nine, right?"

Chuck laughed as he released her hand to search for his phone on the nightstand. He located it and checked the screen. "Yup," he replied as he put it back, "only three days in." He leaned closer, brushing a stray hair out of her face. "And may I say," he drawled, "I'm a big fan of this year already."

Sarah chuckled, a single "hmm" that got lost in his mouth. Chuck attempted to deepen the kiss, but she pushed against his shoulder and clamped her lips. He pulled back, giving her a questioning look.

"Morning breath," she explained.

"I brushed," he replied, but huffed into his hand to check anyway.

Sarah gripped his wrist, guiding his hand to her waist. "I mean me."

"I don't mind." He moved in for another kiss to prove his statement, but she backed away. "But apparently you do," he concluded and searched the nightstand again. He found a roll of mints and held it up. "Want one?"

"Yes, please."

Chuck popped one from the packet straight into his mouth. He pulled back his lips to reveal the lozenge between his teeth. "Come and get it," he spoke around it.

Sarah rolled her eyes and propped herself up on her elbow. "You're incorrigible," she complained playfully.

"Yeah, but you like that about…" He trailed off when their faces were suddenly millimeters apart. His eyes dropped to her lips and Sarah used the distraction to lift the roll from his hand. She flopped back onto the mattress, triumphantly chewing on a mint while watching Chuck and waiting for him to realize what had just happened. She didn't have to wait long.

"If you don't get back here and finish what you started," he warned lowly, "I'm not going to let you win any of the board games today."

"Let me win?" Sarah raised an incredulous eyebrow.

"It doesn't count as a win if you cheat," he pointed out. "And seriously," he added, "who cheats at Twister?"

"I didn't cheat," Sarah protested and popped another mint in her mouth.

"Really?" Chuck asked. "How exactly am I supposed to concentrate when you give me that saucy smile or 'accidently'," he added half an air quote with his free hand, "brush certain parts of you against me or make your hair smell like…like…make your hair smell so sexy?" He gave her a mock pout.

"I don't make my hair smell sexy," she retorted. She pushed up on her elbow again and gestured down at his jeans. "And if I'm so irresistible, then what's with the clothes."

They hadn't had a mission since the Tyler-tattoo-episode, and as they'd been avoiding Casey after the incident with the tranq dart, they'd been making the most of their time off between the four walls of her hotel room, pretending that the rest of the world didn't exist. The hotel's laundry service was probably wondering why she hasn't sent down anything in three days, but Sarah couldn't care less. What she did care about, was that Chuck hadn't woken her with the enthusiasm she'd gotten used to.

"I thought we could get some fresh air today."

"Open a window," Sarah suggested as she pushed against his shoulder until he fell back onto the mattress.

"What has gotten into you?" he asked as she rolled over him, straddling his hips.

"Nothing yet," she smiled wickedly. She grabbed the hem of his shirt that she'd been wearing and pulled it over her head. She pushed up on her knees and her eyes travelled from his face, down his chest to his jeans. "Aren't you going to take those off?"

Chuck shook his head. "Not when you're being a little psycho."

Sarah's gaze snapped back to his and her mouth fell open. Then she closed her jaw with an audible click. "Fine," she huffed and reached for the sheet, draping it around her body. She moved to get off of him, but Chuck grabbed her by hips, keeping her in place.

He smiled up at her, not deterred by her mood change, and brushed a stray hair behind her ear. Then, with a hand on the back of her neck, guided her lips to his. "You're an adorable psycho," he whispered just before their mouths met.

The kiss was a little more heated than before, and despite her annoyance and her intention to play hard to get after his comment, Sarah melted into him. He tugged the sheet from between them and pulled her even closer. The skin on skin contact sent a delicious shiver down her spine. Chuck rolled them over so they were lying side by side and her leg immediately locked around his. She thrust against him and with a groan he broke their lip lock.

"Sarah, wait," he panted. "We can't."

"Why not?" Her frustration was starting to mound at the mixed signals she was getting.

"I think we're out." Chuck sent a meaningful glance over her shoulder to her nightstand.

Sarah shook her head. "Can't be." She reached behind her and found the box. Flipping the lid open, she smirked and retracted the last foil package.

Chuck frowned. "That doesn't add up."

"Have you been keeping score?"

"Of course…not," he amended quickly. Sarah cocked an eyebrow skeptically. It seemed like a nerd-thing to do. A bit creepy, but she could live with it.

"Maybe your count's off," she suggested.

"Yeah, maybe," Chuck mused. Despite his agreement, she could practically hear the wheels turn in his head.

She huffed out a breath and grabbed the sheet again.

"Where are you going?" Chuck asked when she was already halfway across the room.

Sarah turned and gripped the sheet tighter. "I am going to take a shower as my boyfriend would rather do math than take advantage of the naked and willing woman next to him." She didn't wait for a response.

Closing the door behind her, she dropped her head against it. Most of the past seventy odd hours was a blur of watching movies, playing games, making love and even an impromptu dance lesson or two, but she was pretty sure that, if they had been less than cautious, she would've remembered. They weren't hormonal teenagers for goodness sake.

She heard rustling from the room, guessing Chuck was probably cleaning up. That was what Bartowskis did when they were stressed – they cleaned. Ignoring it, and Chuck's paranoia, she turned on the shower and stepped in under the spray. Hopefully by the time she was done, he would realize how silly he was being.

After taking her time to get clean, even shampooing twice, Sarah turned the water off. She perked her ears, but the room was silent. She knew Chuck wouldn't just leave, he'd probably gone out to rustle up some breakfast. She wrapped a towel around herself and towel dried her hair before putting it up in a clip and reaching for her toothbrush. She'd just finish rinsing when the bathroom door opened. A white sock appeared around the doorjamb.

"You can come in," she told him, keeping her voice even.

Moments later Chuck stood behind her, still clad in his jeans, but barefoot. With his hands on either side of the basin, he kept her trapped between him and the sink. Their eyes met in the mirror, but neither of them spoke. Sarah waited for the apology, not that she wanted one. She wasn't angry at Chuck for trying to be responsible. It was rather sweet, even if his timing couldn't be worse. But instead of telling her he was sorry, he dipped his head and pressed a kiss just below her ear.

When she didn't protest, his lips trailed down her neck and her breath hitched when he paused at the spot where her neck and shoulder met. She felt him smile against her skin before his hand slipped under her towel. Sarah gasped at the unexpected contact and grabbed hold of the basin when her legs threatened to give out. Just as she was about to lean back against Chuck for support, he gripped her waist to turn her around. He lifted her onto the edge of the sink and stepped in between her legs, which wrapped around his hips instinctively. The rough material rubbing against the insides of her thighs provided an irresistible contrast to the soft stroking of his fingers up the curve of her ribs. Chuck captured her lips and she moaned in protest when his hands suddenly fell away. She wasn't deprived of the contact she craved for long. His arm circled her back, helping her to keep her balance, as his finger slid along the top of the towel. When he reached the knot he tugged it loose, causing to towel to slip and pool around her waist.

Sarah had always known their relationship was different than those of other couples. She'd been assigned to protect him. She was better equipped to do so and the role reversal had never bothered either of them, but in moments like these, when Chuck took control, and she willingly gave it, she never felt more normal. He allowed her to be vulnerable, safe in the knowledge that he would never take advantage of that. She loved him for it.

The thought gave her pause.

Sensing her hesitation, Chuck broke off the kiss. "What's wrong?" he asked concerned. "Too aggressive?"

"No." Sarah shook her head to reassure him, cursing inwardly for interrupting the moment and evidently letting his tendency for bad timing rub off on her. She chewed thoughtfully on her bottom lip as his eyes studied her face, waiting for an explanation. "It's just that I…" She stopped herself, wondering if she shouldn't wait till after. No, she decided, she wanted him to know. "I love you, Chuck."

The statement was barely audible, and for a second it didn't seem that he'd heard her. Her heart started pounding even louder. She opened her mouth to say something, to try and explain, but the words died on her lips when he dropped his forehead to hers.

"Say it again," he asked, the awe evident in his voice.

"I love you." She said it simply, her voice stronger this time. Telling him wasn't as difficult as she'd imagined it would be. She pulled back to look at him. "I've never felt this way. I didn't even know it was possible to feel this way."

"I know what you mean," Chuck replied. "I always thought that was what I lost back at Stanford, but it wasn't until I met you that I realized how wrong I was." He took a deep breath. "I know I botched it before and I was looking for a way to make it up to you, but then we had mission after mission…what I'm trying to say," he got himself back on point, "is that I love you too, Sarah. With all my heart."

She'd wanted to believe it even after he'd broken the promise he'd made while high on nitrous, but hearing him say it again still amazed her. Her fingers ran up his arms and finally found their way to the curls in the back of his neck. She pulled his head closer. "Show me," she breathed.

The kiss started off slow, but quickly escalated when Chuck parted her lips with his. His grip around her back tightened, pressing her flush against him. With his hand on the back of her thigh he lifted her from her perch and slowly made his way out the bathroom.

When they reached the bed, Sarah unwrapped her legs from around Chuck. Her feet found the floor and she ran a hand down his chest until she reached the waistband of his pants. She tugged on it as she fell backwards onto the mattress, pulling him with her. Chuck landed on his knees, balancing himself on an outstretched arm, and lifted his head. A smile broke over his face, but it quickly faltered when he dove back in for another earthshattering kiss. When he released her lips again, his mouth moved down the column of neck. Panting, Sarah's hand fumbled between them, finding the button on his jeans and popping it open. She managed to pull the zipper down before Chuck's hand joined hers, helping her to push his jeans past his hips. He stood up, making short work of his clothes and taking an eyeful of her in the process, then crawled back onto the bed. He took a moment to catch his breath, smiling down at her, before finally reaching for the packet on the nightstand.

* * *

**A/N: **I will get back into the "Next Time" spoilers at some point. For now I can tell you that Valentine's Day and The Suburbs are to follow, Charah style, of course. Until then, stay awesome.


	21. Chapter 21

A Common Spy Problem

**A/N: **So I've cheated a bit with my rotation, but I don't think anyone minded that much. Yesterday inspiration struck for this one and I finally managed to finish the chapter. I was flailing a bit at the end, given the late hour, but my awesome beta, **Nervert**, understands me so well, so thanks for stating so eloquently what I really meant. You rock!

I've lost count of the number of reviews, but if I'm not mistaken it's nearing the 500 mark, which just makes me all giddy and fuzzy inside – it really means a lot that you guys are still sticking around for this story, and supporting the show, even when it's been off air for nearly three months. At least we will always have our memories, and the DVDs, of course. I guess the countdown has started in the US for the release of season 5, but as it hasn't aired here yet, we'll have to wait a while longer.

A random shout-out goes to **Aerox** - I hope you enjoy the juvenile joke.

I don't own Chuck.

* * *

Chapter 21

Sarah glanced up at the clock and did a double take. The bell over the door usually rang at exactly four minutes past one every day for the last six weeks, but it was already nearly fifteen minutes past and still no sign of Chuck. She dropped the rag she'd been wiping the counter with next to the yogurt machine before turning to the cash register. She punched in the code for the Buy More surveillance and started to systematically work her way through the store. Behind the Nerd Herd desk Jeff was reclined on one of the chairs, his feet resting on the counter. He appeared to be snoring, oblivious to the customer in front of him, repeatedly ringing the bell. The cage was empty as usual. In the break room Skip and Anna were sharing a Subway sandwich. Morgan and Lester were sitting at an adjacent table, taking turns sending jealous glances their way when the other wasn't looking. Sarah shook her head and finally found Chuck on the shop floor in front of the television display, shock and horror written clearly across his face. She quickly scanned the rest of the floor, but didn't spot anything obviously suspicious. Neither did she see her partner.

"Casey," she spoke into her watch, "where are you?"

It took a second for him to respond. "I'm on my break."

"Who's watching Chuck?"

"He's supposed to be with you," he grunted over his com.

Sarah heard a noise in the background which sounded like a newspaper crinkling. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together. She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Ewww, Casey! Why did you answer me?"

"It would be rude not to," he grumbled. "Why are you continuing the conversation?"

Sarah shuddered and disconnected the link without bothering to reply. Someone had to cut _that _short. She grabbed the shop keys and loosened her apron on the way to the door, tossing it on the nearest table. After flipping the closed sign, she locked up and jogged across the parking lot. At the entrance of the electronic store she slowed down, calmly crossed the threshold and pretended to scan for Chuck. Of course she found him quickly and made her way towards him.

With his back to her he hadn't seen her approach, robbing her of the pleasure of watching his eyes light up and a big grin spread across his face. Even though their relationship under the cover had been real for a couple of months now, Chuck still made her feel like she was the only person he noticed whenever she entered a room.

"Are you okay, Chuck?" she tried to draw his attention. He turned slowly, wearing the same facial expression she'd seen on the monitors.

"Oh, uh, no." He gestured to the wall behind him. "Not since Emmett started playing romantic comedies twenty four seven. He must love 'Must Love Dogs', 'cause that's always been showing."

"Ah." Relieved that he wasn't in any actual danger, she dropped the agent persona and took half a step closer. "So," she said as she toyed with his tie, "did the movie put you off lunch?"

"Oh, I uh…" he started shifting his weight from one foot to the other, "time slipped away from me, I guess. Can I make it up to you tomorrow? Lunch and dinner."

Sarah raised a surprised eyebrow. "Do you have other plans for tonight?"

"Well, I was hoping to finally make good on my promise to Morgan for game night…" he trailed off. She could tell the exact moment realization dawned. "You wanted to go out for Valentine's Day." He winced. "I'm sorry, Sarah, I should've told you earlier."

"Told me what?" she asked, doing her best to hide her disappointment. By the sound of it, Chuck hadn't planned anything special. It was their first Valentine's Day as a couple and the last thing she expected was that he would be so blasé about it.

"I'm not really into the whole Valentine's Day. I mean I was single for a long time and I promised myself that if I ever…that I wouldn't make a big deal of it. You know, in honor of all the singletons out there." He raised his shoulder a fraction. "Who needs a special day anyway? Every day should be special. And discreet, of course, in honor of…"

"I get it," she cut in. She straightened his tie, concentrating on the task to avoid eye contact.

"So it's okay with you if we take the night off?" Chuck asked.

"Sure," she replied lightly. Despite the twist in her chest, she managed to fake a smile. "I have a bunch of paperwork to catch up on anyway."

"Great," he replied, looking relieved.

"Great," Sarah echoed. They stared at each other for a beat and she wondered if she should tell him that she actually thought it sucked, but she didn't get the chance.

"Hey, hey, hey, you two," Morgan interrupted. "Any hot plans for tonight?"

Chuck looked from her to Morgan and back. "Absolutely…there is…," he responded to Sarah's surprise. "My house at eight o'clock, right?" he asked her directly.

"I can hardly wait." She smiled sweetly at Morgan before jerking her head in the direction of the door. "Do you mind walking me out, sweetie?" Chuck looked like he was searching for an excuse not to, but she grabbed his hand and practically dragged him behind her. "What gives, Chuck?" she asked the minute they were out of earshot.

"Morgan and Anna got back together. I guess I forgot." He couldn't quite look her in the eye. She dropped his hand and folded her arms across her chest.

"You forgot?"

Chuck laughed nervously. "Maybe the you-know-what is taking up more space than we initially thought," he tried to joke. When she didn't fall for that, he glanced down at his watch. "I should probably get back inside." He leaned in for a quick peck on the lips. "I'll see you tonight, okay? I'll get some takeout and we can watch DVDs, your pick."

"A discreet evening," Sarah deadpanned.

"Exactly," he grinned.

* * *

Sarah zipped up her hoody to thwart off the slight chill in the air. She lifted her hand to knock, but let it drop again and took a deep breath. She'd contemplated cancelling on Chuck, but he'd know that she was expecting more and was disappointed that he hadn't planned anything special. She still couldn't believe that he was just going to let the day pass like any other. This was officially the worst Valentine's Day ever.

Schooling her features, she finally knocked.

"It's open!" he called from inside.

Sarah rolled her eyes. She risked life and limb every day to keep him safe and he couldn't even lock the door behind him. Determined to let him know just that, she pushed down the handle.

"Chuck…" she started, but the rest of the words caught in her throat. She blinked to make sure she wasn't dreaming. "What's all this?" she asked when she got her voice back.

"You didn't really think I was serious earlier, did you?" he spoke as the lit the last candle. He slipped the matchbook into his pocket and crossed the room. Reaching past her, he flipped the light switch. "Romantic enough?" he grinned down at her.

"I thought you weren't into Valentine's Day," was all she could think to say.

He bounced his eyebrows once. "Gotcha."

"Yeah, you did," she conceded, pulling him down by the front of his shirt for a kiss. "So what do you have planned, Mr. Bartowski?" she asked in a husky voice once she'd released him.

"Well," he started, sweeping his arm across the room, "we have candlelight, obviously." He grabbed her hand and led her to the couch. "Chocolate covered strawberries and champagne." The mentioned items were arranged on the coffee table. Sarah took a seat and reached for a strawberry, only to have her hand swatted away. "I'll feed you in a minute," Chuck scolded her playfully.

"Sorry," Sarah mumbled and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Keep that up and I won't tell you the best part of tonight."

She held her hands up, surrendering. "It won't happen again," she promised solemnly. "So what's the best part?" She watched in anticipation as Chuck deliberated with himself whether or not to tell her. Then he picked up a DVD case from the side table.

"The English Patient," he announced.

Sarah's jaw dropped. "You cannot be serious. Do you actually want to watch that tonight?"

Chuck looked at the picture on the case and frowned. "Not really. Do you?"

"Honestly? No." The last time Ellie made them watch it they'd both agreed that it was the most boring thing ever. Or at least the parts they'd seen when they weren't busy distracting each other.

"Good." He plopped down next to her with his arm on the back of the couch, grabbed the remote with his free hand and turned on the movie.

Sarah's eyes darted from the screen to Chuck and when she spotted his grin, everything clicked. "You were hoping for a marathon make-out session, weren't you?" It was a rhetorical question, but he had the sometimes annoying habit of answering those.

"You think? It's the most romantic night of the year, we have the most boring movie ever made…" He trailed off and shifted closer while his fingers played with the loose strands of hair at the back of her neck. "I have the most beautiful girlfriend in the world." He shrugged a shoulder and inched even closer. "I'm only human."

And sweet, caring, cute and a little corny, Sarah added in her mind, but didn't say it. She wanted tonight to be special for him too. Her eyes drifted shut, but instead of getting the kiss she was expecting, she sensed him pull back.

"I forgot something," he explained.

"What?"

"I love you."

Sarah quirked an eyebrow. "You forgot you love me?"

"I always thought the Intersect was too big for your brain," Casey grunted behind them. They both whipped around, fixing the Major with equally menacing glares.

"Casey," Chuck spoke first, "ever heard of a thing called knocking? It's not that hard. If a door is blocking your way, you just make a fist like this…" Chuck demonstrated, only to have Sarah pull down his arm and send him a warning look before turning to her partner.

"This better be good," she half-growled, "and it better not be a mission." Casey's smirk told her she was out of luck.

Chuck groaned and dropped his head face first into the couch. "What's it this time?" he grumbled. "Thai street racing gang? Ukrainian prostitution ring?"

"Just your average garden variety terrorist," Casey replied. "With the emphasis on gardening."

"A bonsai bomber?" Chuck mumbled back.

"No, numbnuts." Casey pulled a face when Sarah gave him a warning look. "You two kids are going to the suburbs."

Chuck's head snapped up. "Does that mean Sarah and I are moving in together?" Sarah's gaze cut from Casey to Chuck. She couldn't tell if he was happy or freaked out by the prospect. Not that she could blame him, she had no idea how she felt about it either.

"Yeah." Casey was still smirking as he held up two rings. "Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Carmichael. And good luck as a married couple."

* * *

"This is the last one," Chuck groaned as he hauled a box into the living room of the quaint little house in the middle of the Meadow Branch estate. "Of all the options I'd considered for Valentine's Day, this definitely wasn't one." He put the box down next to the others and straightened, rubbing his back. "I thought the CIA had people who took care of this sort of thing?"

"They do," Sarah replied distractedly. She took a step back and tilted her head to gauge if the photos she'd just hung were even. Satisfied with her handiwork she turned to Chuck, crossing her arms over her chest. "But someone," her eyes glanced over to Casey who was sitting on one of the sofas enjoying a scotch, "lost the paperwork."

"It happens," Casey grunted, not taking his eyes of the TV. He'd insisted that Chuck set up the entertainment system first so he could continue with his own plans for the evening. Sarah's suggestion that, if he was not going to help, he might as well go home and enjoy his documentary in the comfort of his own compound, had been met with a "I am helping. If I leave you two to it, you will be catching up on the honeymoon instead of unpacking."

"It would go a lot faster if we had help," Chuck pointed out. "At this rate, we're gonna be at it all night."

"Stop complaining, Bartowski, it's not as if you were planning on getting sleep tonight anyway. Now would you please pipe down? This is the best part."

Chuck sent a petulant sneer in Casey's direction then hunched down to cut the tape holding the box flaps together. "Where did all this stuff come from, anyway?"

"Castle," Sarah informed him. She bent down and peered into the box. "Furniture aside, we have everything we need to set up house." She pulled out a couple of books and handed them to Chuck.

"Because every house needs The Complete Works of Shakespeare," he deadpanned as the crossed the room and arranged them on the shelves. Sarah smiled inwardly when Casey had to crane his neck to see past Chuck. Casey was entitled to his revenge, but it didn't mean they had to make it easy for him.

Leaving Chuck to sort out the living room, Sarah made her way to the kitchen. She made short work of the food and cleaning supplies, but the huge serving bowls and platters they'd need to entertain the neighbors posed a problem. She had to rearrange the cupboards three times to make everything fit. When she'd finally managed to get the last door to close, she pushed to her feet. The world suddenly reeled and she grabbed the counter to steady herself.

"I'm done in there," Chuck spoke as he entered the kitchen, "so if you want to…" He stopped himself and frowned. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's just a dizzy spell."

A look of concern crossed his face and he reached her in two long strides. "Maybe you should sit down for a bit." He pulled out one of the stools and kept a hand on her arm until she was settled. "Can I get you anything? Water? Or a sandwich? You haven't eaten anything yet."

"I feel better already," she assured him, leaning into the hand that was now rubbing comforting circles over the small of her back.

"Are you sure?" he asked again. "If you're not feeling well, I'm sure Beckman can find two other agents…"

"Chuck," she cut him off, "I don't get sick. I just stood up too fast. What do we still need to do?" she asked in an effort to distract him from hovering. "The bedrooms?"

"Just ours. There were some boxes with stuff we don't really need, so I stacked them on the bed in the spare room and locked the door. That way we won't have to entertain house guests." Chuck sent a meaningful glance in the direction of the explosion noises from the front of the house. "This is payback for the tranqing thing, isn't it?"

"I think so," Sarah replied, running a hand down Chuck's chest. "I'm sorry your plans got ruined."

"Our plans," he amended. His eyes travelled around the room before settling back on hers. "Though I'm sure this Valentine's is not one we're gonna forget soon." She made an agreeable sound in the back of her throat when Chuck dove in for a quick kiss. "Tell you what," Chuck continued and glanced down at his watch, "if you see our guest out, I'll make us some grilled cheese, we can catch a few hours of sleep and unpack the bedroom before work."

"Or," Sarah drawled, "you can walk Casey out, I'll take care of a very late dinner and in the morning I'll sort out of the bedroom stuff in between setting up surveillance and making the world's largest bowl of potato salad."

Chuck thought it over for a second. "Let's leave Casey where he is, I'll feed you, like I was planning, and tomorrow after work…" He stopped and did a double take. "What's the potato salad for? Is it some secret spy code?"

Sarah chuckled, giving him a playful slap. "No, actual potatoes and mayo. We're having the neighbors over, so I hope your grilling skills are up to par." The mere thought of mayonnaise made her stomach churn and she grimaced.

"I'm sure I'll manage," Chuck answered, sounding a little distracted. "Sarah, are you sure you're alright? You look a little pale."

"It's been a long day and I'm starving." The last part was a lie, but it seemed to set his mind at ease and he gave her a one-arm hug before crossing the room to raid the fridge for ingredients.

* * *

**A/N: **See you back here soon for the next chapter of It's a Wonderful Cover Life. Ciao


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